Flower farmers expect a bonanza in December as the peak season for flowers has begun, which will continue until April next year.

Multiple national holidays will be observed in between the period, when the demand for flowers rises.

Farmers plan their cultivation to peak during occasions such as Victory Day, New Year's celebrations, the Spring Festival, Valentine's Day, International Mother Language Day, Independence Day, and the Bengali New Year.

The major portion of the flowers will come from Jashore's Gadkhali, the heart of the country's flower cultivation.

Gadkhali is now bustling with activity, with stalls lining both sides of the Jashore-Benapole highway showcasing a variety of blooms.

Growers in the region expect to sell flowers worth Tk 100 crore in the December to April period.

Around 6,000 families in Jashore are involved in flower cultivation, growing 11 varieties of flowers on at least 1,200 hectares of land, according to data of the Bangladesh Flower Society.

The region produces flowers worth Tk 150 crore annually, meeting 70 percent of the country's total demand.

Flowers are cultivated year-round not only in Jashore but also in other parts of the country, including Dhaka's Savar, Chattogram and Panchagarh.

Flowers are grown in Bangladesh on around 6,000 hectares of land and local production meets around 70 percent of the domestic requirement.

The rest is met through flowers imported mainly from China, India and Thailand, according to a paper presented at an event at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council last month.

Annually around $179 million or over Tk 2,100 crore worth of flowers are sold in Bangladesh and the market is expanding at a rate of 10-15 percent, according to a paper of the Netherlands-Bangladesh Seed Scoping Mission.

This year, farmers in Bangladesh battled extreme temperatures and untimely heavy rains, but they are still optimistic about reaching their Tk 100 crore sales goal.

Among many varieties of flowers, some notable ones are roses sold at Tk 6-7 apiece, rajnigandha Tk 8 per stick, gladiolus Tk 14-16 each and gerbera Tk 13-14 each.

Major flower-producing areas include Gadkhali, Panisara, Navaran, Nirbaskhola, and Haria in Jhikargacha upazila.

The rainy season sees thin activity in the flower market when flowers are often used as cattle fodder due to low demand and stable labour costs.

The flower farmers said they faced significant challenges this year as unseasonal rains during the monsoon damaged crops, adding to the difficulties posed by the summer's heat and drought.

"Despite untimely monsoon rains, I've been giving extra care to my two bighas of rose fields. If prices are good during the upcoming events, I'll make a profit," said Bablur Rahman, a rose farmer from Patuapara village.

Rubel Hossain, who grows gladiolus on 1.5 bighas of land, said, "Many plants died in the rain. I invested Tk 1.5 lakh per bigha. If prices don't improve, we'll face losses."

Sohrab Hossain, a gerbera farmer, said, "I've spent around Tk 2-2.5 lakh on two bighas of land and expect to sell gerberas worth Tk 7-8 lakh this year."

"All flower farmers in the area have been affected by the unseasonal rains. Prices are usually highest in January and February," he said. Despite the challenges, farmers are hopeful for a successful season.

Abdur Rahim, president of the Jashore Flower Producers and Marketing Cooperative Society Ltd, said the farmers have applied fertilisers and pesticides on the fields, and irrigation is ongoing.

"If the market conditions remain favourable, profits will be high this year."

The agriculture department is also stepping forward to support farmers by organising training sessions and workshops on producing perfume and fragrance oil from flowers, he said.

Farmers are being advised to work on proper transportation and storage methods to minimise losses, he added.

"Flower farmers were affected by heat and drought in the summer and heavy rains during the monsoon," said Md Jahangir Alam, Jhikargacha upazila agriculture officer.

"However, the current weather is favourable, and farmers are busy in maintaining their fields. If the weather and market remain supportive, flower sales could reach hundreds of crores of taka this season," he added.