Retail News Update

SURAT: Long-stemmed red roses and sparkling diamonds – the most-wanted commodity of romance – have found a sturdy supply chain south of Gujarat. The traditional diamond-exporting area of Surat has found it’s calling in roses. The diamond district together with its neighbour Navsari is not only polishing diamonds for the world, but also producing roses to complete the romance.

Red roses are already on their way to Europe, and will be gifted to blushing Valentines in Germany, Italy and the UK. Some in Mumbai, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and New Delhi will also be celebrating the St Valentine’s Day with roses and diamonds from Surat.

The men behind the Rs 50,000-crore Surat diamond industry see a 25% profit margin in the trade, which has lower risks and lesser working capital. A diamond exporter, who did not want to be named, is planning to diversify into roses next year. As many as 45 green houses in Surat, have started production and have been sending trial produce to domestic markets as far as New Delhi.

Others are most likely to harvest their roses within this year. Says DZ Patel, deputy director horticulture, Surat: “About 35 lakh roses were exported, of which more than 10 lakh were for Valentines. The production and exports will double next year. The quality is better than what is grown in Bangalore, and we expect the region to become the rose hub in a few years.”
Of the 10 lakh roses to be supplied overseas for Valentines from the region, 70% will be red in colour. The number is likely to go up significantly when other rose-growing green houses start production by this year-end.
“Germany and Italy are Valentine-specific markets,” says Best Roses Biotech promoter Dipak Patel. “Japan is hot throughout the year and that is where the bulk orders come from. The demand doubles during Valentine’s Day. So we have to plan the harvest accordingly.”

Mr Patel was a diamond exporter for 30 years before becoming a rose grower and exporter five years ago. About 85 others have followed suit and have set up rose farming units. The area’s moist and comparatively cooler climate (when compared to other regions of Gujarat) provides the right kind of atmosphere for the rose boom, says Barot joint-director agriculture, Gujarat.

“Given the kind of units that are coming up here, South Gujarat could become the rose hub of India,” says DZ Patel, who counts about 85 units listed as rose-producers by the Government of Gujarat. Diamonds will remain Surat’s first preference (and most of the prospective Valentine’s too), but roses have proved to be as joyful. For Mr Patel, the switchover from diamonds to roses has also brought him better health and peace of mind.