Flower and fruit prices double ahead of Varamahalakshmi festival in Bengaluru

Indian Opinion Analysis

The Varamahalakshmi festival, observed on the Friday before the full moon in Shravana, is one of the most significant pujas for households in Karnataka and neighbouring states. The price spike reported here is driven by a combination of seasonal demand and a supply crunch from deficit rainfall earlier this year, which has reduced flower yields in key growing belts around Bengaluru, such as Hosur and Kolar. The K.R. Market, Asia's second-largest flower market, handles an estimated 300 tonnes of flowers on a normal day, rising sharply during festivals. With kanakambara touching ₹4,500 per kg on Thursday, the immediate question is whether the Bangalore Turf Club, which controls wholesale prices at the market's flower auction, will intervene. The next price update, typically on Thursday morning before the festival's main puja day, will signal whether the plateau has been reached.