Florists hope for a windfall on Valentine’s Day

Markets in capital turn red with flowers, cuddly bears, heart-shaped balloons, gift items

ISLAMABAD: With the country divided on whether to celebrate Valentine’s Day to express love for the special person in one’s life, florists in the federal capital are enjoying a windfall as the sale of red roses have soared in the capital.

Though the day causes a debate every year, florists in Islamabad wait for it all year, because it brings them high sales. A market survey conducted by The Express Tribune showed that various stalls and kiosks decked with red roses, other flowers, balloons, stuffed cuddly bears, heart-shaped chocolate and other Valentine’s Day gift items.

The red colour is visible in markets across Islamabad including Abpara Market, Jinnah Super, Supermarket, Sector F-11 Markaz, Melody and other small markets in different sectors and areas.

Florists and gift shop owners ignore the controversy and focus on the business aspect, decking their shops and stalls with Valentine’s Day paraphernalia.

A florist, Ayub Khan, justified the high prices by saying that they get roses at high rates from the wholesale market, owing to which they were compelled to sell the flowers at higher prices to customers to cover their expenses.

There is a whole chain of flower trade, he said. The bulk suppliers and wholesalers know exactly when the sales bulge occur, he said explaining that sales of rose petals rise on days such as Shab-e-Baraat when people visit graves of relatives. Similarly, sales of tuberoses skyrockets on Valentine’s Day when they give flowers to their loved ones.

Being associated with the business for his bread and butter, Ayub said he waits excitedly for such a few events in the year.

“We wait for Valentine’s Day the whole year round, as it brings good business for us,” the florist said, adding that that on a normal day, they sell around Rs4,000 worth of flowers. However, sales jump to almost Rs50,000 daily as Valentine’s Day approaches.

Meanwhile, locals purchasing flowers and other accessories complained of the exorbitant prices. They claimed that florists and vendors charge the desired rates by keeping high-profit margins.

Despite the high prices, the entire stock of red flowers is cleared out before the sunset on Valentine's Day, Ayub said.

It was also observed that many people from adjoining areas of Islamabad flock to the federal capital to cash in on the frenzy, setting up their make-shift flower stalls a week before Valentine’s Day. After spending a few days in the federal capital to make some extra cash, they return to their homes after Valentine’s.

The shopping malls in Islamabad also mark the day by decorating their halls for the entire week. Shops in the malls are decked with gifts and even artificial flowers for Valentine’s Day.

During the market survey, shop keepers told The Express Tribune that sales of gift items can jump as much as four times in February.

Meanwhile, when asked about Valentine’s Day, Senator Nuzhat Sadiq said that there should be love and respect in relationships and that individuals must be considerate towards each other.

Amongst the crowd opposed to the celebration of Valentine’s Day, Mufti Aqeel Pirzada said that the day only represents western values.

He, however, clarified that giving gifts or flowers to family members is encouraged in Islam. However, he said, “Islam discourages giving flowers or gifts to the members of the opposite gender if there is no legal relationship between the two.”

The cleric contended that even though this practice is not deemed bad in the western culture, “it is shunned in the society we live in.”

Pirzada said that people must protect their cultural heritage and societal norms being born in an Islamic country.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2020.