Kozhikode welcomed the start of the Malayalam month of Chingam with vibrant floral carpets gracing households, marking the official countdown to the Onam festival. However, families planning their traditional pookkalams this year will have to budget for higher costs, as poor rainfall in major cultivation belts has caused flower prices to skyrocket across local markets.

The star of this season’s market is undoubtedly the oleander (arali), which is currently retailing at an astonishing ₹600 per kg. Marigolds, the staple of any traditional floral carpet, are also seeing a significant hike. Yellow marigolds are trading at ₹100 to ₹160 per kg, while the orange variant is selling for around ₹80 per kg. Meanwhile, chrysanthemums (jamanthi) are priced between ₹200 and ₹400 per kilogram, globe amaranths (vaadamalli) are going for ₹160 per kilogram, and roses are costing anywhere from ₹200 to ₹400 per kilogram.

Historically, the bulk of Kozhikode’s festive flowers came from the fields of Gundlupet in Karnataka. But poor rainfall this season has severely affected cultivation there, forcing traders to look elsewhere. Manikandan, a veteran florist from Ottapalam who has spent 18 years running a stall near Calicut Mariamman Kovil, explains that Chikkaballapur has emerged as the main supplier this year. Located just beyond Bengaluru, the region is home to vast flower plantations. During Onam, traders from all over Kerala travel to these villages to source fresh stock, which also feeds the major wholesale hubs like Bengaluru’s KR Market.

Despite the heavy reliance on neighbouring states, local self-help groups have stepped up to bridge the demand-supply gap. Kudumbashree has spearheaded flower cultivation across 9.35 acres of land in Kozhikode district alone, spanning 322 wards across various panchayats, municipalities, and the corporation. For those looking for convenience amidst rising costs, the market is also flooded with pre-arranged, readymade pookkalams, with prices ranging from ₹500 to ₹1,500 depending on size and design complexity.