Benapole: Flower farmers of Jhikargacha in Jessore district, one of the largest flower markets of the country, expect to sell flowers worth over Tk 20 crore ahead of Pahela Falgun, Valentine’s Day and International Mother Language Day.

The farmers are now passing busy days in their fields.

Flower growers and traders make huge money every year in February, a month that sees huge sale of flowers as people celebrate three major events -- Pahela Falgun, Valentine’s Day and International Mother Language Day.

The farmers of Godkhali and Panisara unions of the upazila cultivate flowers in their lands after the harvest of rice and jute.

Around 11 types of flowers, including rose, gerbera, gladiolus, tuberose and marigold, are cultivated on 3,500 hectres of land.

As ever, there has been a surge in sales of flowers at Godkhali in Jhikargacha upazila, the flower hub of the district, said farmers and traders.

The wholesale flower market at Godkhali in Jhikargacha is the source of 70 percent of the entire flower supply of the country. The farmers started farming flowers in the upazila in 1983.

Meeting the local demand, the flowers of the upazila are exported to the UAE (United Arab Emirates), Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.

Rubel Hossain, a flower farmer, said it costs Tk 5 per rose, including wearing cap on rose, and it will be profitable for them when they would get TK 8-10 per rose.

Aminul Islam, another flower farmer, said he has cultivated tuberose, double tuberose, hybrid tuberose, rose, gerbera, marigold and gladiolus on his 15 bighas of land.

Aminul said he used to incur loss but now expects to sell flowers of Tk 1.50 lakh to 2 lakh this month.

Abdur Rahim, president of Bangladesh Flowers Society, said there are around 20,000 flower farmers across the country and around 5-6 thousand farmers are involved in the flower cultivation in Jessore district.

“Ahead of the two festivals and Shaheed Day this month, farmers are expecting that they’ll sell flowers of TK 20 crore,” he added.