Pune, 19th October 2026: Gultekdi Market Yard witnessed a heavy arrival of marigold flowers ahead of Dussehra, with around 200–300 tonnes reaching the market on Saturday and Sunday.
Prices ranged from ₹30 to ₹70 per kg, depending on quality. Arrivals were higher than last year, as farmers brought flowers from Pune, Solapur, Dharashiv, Beed and Hingoli districts to meet festive demand.
Marigold is in high demand during Dussehra for decorating homes, shops and vehicles. Demand for chrysanthemum, rose, aster and other flowers has also increased, pushing their prices up by 10–20%.
Sagar Bhosale, coordinator of the Akhil Pune Flower Market Commission Agents Association, said flower arrivals had increased across the market. Farmers were also selling flowers directly from pickup vehicles along Shivneri Road and near the jaggery and grocery market area. Large arrivals were expected to continue on Monday.
Heavy flower sales outside the market premises disrupted traffic on Sunday. Shivneri Road, Nehru Road and the grocery market area witnessed congestion as farmers’ vehicles, tempos, autorickshaws and customers’ two-wheelers crowded the roads.
Roadside flower stalls made it difficult for vehicles to pass, while shoppers navigated through the congestion to purchase flowers. The market committee had deployed security guards to manage traffic, but guards were reportedly absent at several locations, including Shivneri Road, when congestion intensified.