Valentine’s Day is round the corner, and like every year, political organizations are making all necessary preparations to stop people from celebrating the day of love. And the rose and other flower growers of Pune are certainly wary about it. According to them, protests against Valentine’s Day festivities lead to huge financial losses to local farmers. The flower growers have appealed to various individuals and organizations not to oppose Valentine’s Day celebrations as the opposition causes heavy financial losses to not only farmers, but also others connected to the floriculture industry.

“The protests cause huge losses to us, which makes things difficult to the extent that we find it impossible to make both ends meet. Furthermore, many farmers have taken loans to grow roses and other flowers keeping Valentine’s Day in mind, as the day is very important from the business perspective for the floriculture industry,” said Pune district flowers growers Association president Shivaji Bhegde and Talegaon Floriculture Park Flower Growers Cooperative Society’s secretary Malhar Dhole.

Meanwhile, sources said that Maval taluka in Pune district might register a turnover of more than Rs 75 lakh in the local and foreign market on Valentine’s Day.

In Vadgaon Maval taluka, few corporate companies and over150 farmers are involved in floriculture industry. Fifty entrepreneurs are growing flowers at the Talegaon-based floriculture park. All these companies and farmers are optimistic to earn maximum revenues during the Valentine’s Day celebrations.

“I think that these political organizations should act responsibly and let people enjoy the right to freedom. They have no right to force their decisions on someone. What happens after these farmers incur a loss? Will these political leaders pay for it? I certainly do not think so. It is high-time that we come together and protest against the authoritarian policies of some crippled minded politicians,” said Aarti Sah, a resident of  Shivajinagar, Pune.

- Siddhartha Laik