Thrissur: Lotus farmers in Kerala are facing a crisis. Amid nationwide lockdown, the lotus sales have plummeted and farmers are reeling under financial stress.
According to reports, Kerala's festive period is the main season for the farmers to gain a huge chunk of their annual income.
Besides, the sale of the half-bloomed lotus buds, cut from the stem, during this period also adds to their profits. These lotus buds are mostly used in temples during poojas and for making floral garlands for the deities.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the festive season and along with it, dented a blow to the fortunes of lotus farmers.
Read: COVID-19 outbreak: Kerala tribal families shift to forests, river banks, caves
For the past 15 years, two lotus farmers, Venugopalan from Velumanpadi and Sathyan from Aranattukara in Thrissur, have been cultivating lotus in few acres of their paddy fields.
They used to earn Rs. 3-4 per lotus flower. Flowers were being exported to many places in Kerala and to other states. They term this period as a crisis and claim the times are scary as this situation does not have a precedent in history.
Apart from being used for all kinds of ritualistic practices, lotus also finds its way into herbal medication in Kerala.
