Kolkata: The initiative of the state government to renovate the only dedicated cold storage for flowers in South Bengal has immensely benefitted flower traders of the region.
Flower growers mainly from three districts — Howrah, East and West Midnapore — store their yields in the cold storage at Panskura.
The cold storage is of five metric tonne capacity and it acts as a lifeline for hundreds of flower growers. The renovation of the cold storage completed recently and was inaugurated on September 15.
The completion of the project taken up by the state government to renovate the cold storage before Durga Puja has come up as a boon for the flower growers.
Samiran Panja, a flower grower, said: "We need to supply huge quantities of flowers on the first three days of Durga Puja. As a result, we need to store what we grow at least 15 days ahead of the Puja. We would have been in deep trouble if the cold storage had not become ready by this time." Flowers grow mainly at Bagnan in Howrah and it takes just an hour for farmers to take their produce to the cold storage. So they need to bear a minimum cost for transportation of flowers. As a result, the price doesn't shoot up unnecessarily.
Flowers are also stored in private multi-purpose cold storages. But flowers in the cold storage at Panskura can be stored at a bare minimum cost. Considering the need of the hour, the cold storage has been upgraded by installing modern electronic gadgets and air-conditions.
The target of completing the renovation work before the Puja has been met.
Subhrajit Ghosh, Sub-divisional Officer in Tamluk, said: "The initiative to upgrade the cold storage was taken considering that it will be immensely beneficial for flower growers and traders."
There is also a flower market at Panskura where more than 100 flower growers and traders set their shops to sell out their produce.
Initiative has also been taken to improve the infrastructure of the market and at the same time, the district authorities are taking steps so that farmers set up their shops twice a day instead of only one shift that starts at around 9 pm.
It may be mentioned that flower cultivators have incurred huge losses due to incessant rainfall a few weeks ago. So, they consider that the renovation of the cold storage will enable them to supply flowers as per the requirement during the Puja.