Climate change withers roses in Tamil Nadu

This Christmas and New Year may not be all that rosy for the Krishnagiri farmers. The roses in the Krishnagiri farms are withering as they are reeling under fungal attack due to climate change flowing from the El Nino effect. The rose farmers are apprehensive that their Christmas and New Year would affect because of the fungal attack known as downy mildew.

“The exports would decline because of the fungal attack found in the crop because of the dampness due to the incessant rains,” 47-year-old N. Mallesh of Kasavakutta, near Hosur of Krishnagiri said. “The temperature should be between 15 to 27 degrees celsius at night for cultivation of roses, but has now declined below the ideal temperature affecting the crop,” he said.

Most of the roses cannot be harvested because of the black spots found in the rose buds affected by the fungal disease. Some of the rose farmers have already switched over to cultivating other flowers like zerabra for rose cultivation has now turned into a non-profitable venture.

However, another farmer G. Bala Siva Parsad of Gudichettupalli says that the downy mildew attack can be prevented if the farmers have applied pesticides. Cultivation of roses under polyhouse has declined and most of the farmers are forced to sell their property to repay bank loans. Around 500 acres of floral crops are cultivated in Hosur taluk of Krishnagiri. Nearly 12 million fresh rose bud stems are exported annually from Hosur region.

Most of the farmers have abandoned the cultivation of roses not because the demand for roses has decreased. But the local farmers lack knowledge about the export business and are unable to produce quality roses.

According to R. Sarvesh, 45, of Berigai, near Hosur of Krishnagiri, “Our income depends on every bud sold to the agents. In case the importers complain of the quality, the price of the bud is reduced. This could be avoided if banks come forward to give loans for upgrading our poly houses.”