Shankarapura Mallige's fragrance trapped in COVID-19 lockdown

Shankarapura Mallige (jasmine) or Udupi Mallige, cultivated by thousands of farmers in Udupi district, are in distress following the lockdown and lack of demand for flowers.

Known for its fragrance, the jasmine is used in marriages, decorations, temples, production of perfumes and incense sticks. Though the flower has gained a wide market in the West Asian region as well as in Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru, the lockdown has put an end to the market.

On an average, a `chendu' (a set of flowers tied by a string, normally around 800 flowers) of Shankarapura Mallige was fetching a good price between March and May. An Atti (four chendus make one atti) jasmine normally fetches Rs 400 to Rs 800. During the auspicious days, it fetches even Rs 1,250 as well.

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“The rates of Shankarapura Mallige had declined from March 20 after the authorities laid restrictions for large gatherings, temple fairs and the sale completely stopped from March 23. An atti of jasmine was sold for Rs 600 before March 20 and the price declined to Rs 150 on March 21,” said farmer leader Ramakrishna Sharma to DH.

In spite of the lack of demand, farmers cannot remain quiet without plucking flowers. “We have to pluck the flowers daily to avoid pest menace. If we fail to pluck the buds, the pest starts eating the buds and later starts damaging the tender leaves, thus affecting its growth,” he said.

As jasmine cultivation is still an unorganised sector, the price of Udupi Mallige is decided daily through auctioning by a group of jasmine growers and agents at Shankarpura katte. The yield in the jasmine plants during summer is ten times more than the yield in winter and monsoon, said the farmers.

William Machado, another farmer from Katpady said; “all the plucked flowers are wasted without stringing it. If we give it to people for stringing the flowers, we have to pay. I have 40 jasmine plants. I used to collect jasmine flowers in my neighbourhood and send it to flower vendors in Mangaluru, Karkala, Moodbidri for sale. Without any means of transportation and auspicious programmes, we cannot even market the flowers.”

Cultivating, harvesting, and stringing jasmine flowers were part of our lives, Machado said. Even few women were also engaged in cultivating jasmine to supplement the family income in Shirva, Belmannu, Kaup, Katpadi, Shankarapura and other surrounding areas.

“The yield normally increases during mid-April. If the lockdown and restrictions continue, then we will face a deeper problem,” a woman cultivator stressed.