BAGUIO CITY — Bahong, La Trinidad, the Rose Capital of the Philippines, is abuzz again with harvesting and shipping activities as the Season of the Heart nears.
Republicasia asked the farmers how much they commanded the wholesale price for roses. They said for first-class variants, the wholesale prices doubled to around Php 600 pesos a dozen. Last year, the wholesale price of first-class roses was only Php 300-350.
If broken down, the wholesale price of first-class bouquet of roses costs Php 50 apiece.
For those who cannot afford a pricey bunch of roses, flower farmers suggested for them to buy a cheaper substitute for potted roses at Php250 or Malaysian mums at Php 100.
Pandemic life
During Valentines Day, every February 14, a gift of a bouquet of roses is the ultimate expression of one’s love.
But when the pandemic hit, people did not buy roses.
The most in demand flowers during the pandemic were anthuriums, normally used for funeral wreaths.
Flower farmers in this town had to loan money from the bank to be able to survive during the pandemic.
Last year, they were hoping to bounce back from the economic losses in 2020. But then Omicron struck, and many restaurants and other dating places were closed on Valentine’s Day.
This year, they hope they could recoup some of their losses and pay back most of their debts.
Extra care before loading
Farmers all took extra care of newly harvested roses bound for Metro Manila.
Before shipping, the roses are graded and loaded in styrofoam boxes.
For added care, workers place ice blocks to increase the shelf life of roses.
The harvested roses would retain their freshness and quality to command high prices in floral shops nationwide for the Season of the Hearts.
