November 10: The flower business during the festival of Tihar will reach its peak a few days ahead of Bhai Tika, the last day of the five-day festival.

As the flower garlands used during Bhai Tika, or the day for worshipping brothers, will if purchased in advance, the flower business is expected to increase only a day or two before the event.

However, some people also buy flower garlands to decorate their homes.

The people involved in floriculture and owners of flower and gift shops says that wholesalers are currently buying garlands from farmers' fields and storing them.

A flower businessman at Thapathali said he has ordered garlands worth Rs 1.8 million targeting this year’s Tihar festival. He says that the garlands will arrive at his shop directly from the farmers’ field in one or two days.

This year, the Floriculture Association of Nepal (FAN) has fixed the retail price of a garland of Marigold flower (Sayapatri) at Rs 125. Similarly, the price of a Chrysanthemum (Godavari) garland has been fixed at Rs 1,000 and that of a Globe Amaranth (Makhmali) garland is Rs 50. According to the association, the price of garlands has increased between Rs 25 to Rs 50 per piece compared to last year.

FAN President Meen Bahadur Tamang said that they are expecting a sell 4 million flower garlands worth around Rs 31 million during this Tihar.

Traders say that the business of colour and dyes has also doubled now. Sangam Thakur, a businessman from Kalimati, said that he is doing brisk business of colour and dyes ahead of Tihar.

According to Thakur, the  daily transactions of his business has reached up to Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000 in the past few days. He said that a single packet of seven different colors is being sold at the rate of Rs 15. In Nepal, this color is specially imported from India. Businessmen say that the business of candles and Dhaka caps has also increased.