Prices of flowers are going up prior to the March 8 holiday, Tengrinews.kz reports.

It is expected that the prices in Astana will put on additional 300-500 tenge ($2.1-3.4) by tomorrow. A Dutch rose will cost 2000 tenge ($13.5), a lily will reach 3000 tenge ($20.3).

Spring flowers, such as flowers de luce, tulips, parrot flowers, usually cost 600 tenge ($4.1), chrysanthemums – 800 ($5.4), lilies – 2-2,5 thousand tenge ($13.5-16.9). Local citizens will have spend 800-1500 tenge ($5.4-10) to buy one Astana-grown rose (the price depends on the length of the flower). A Dutch rose costs 1500 tenge ($10.) An assorted bunch of flowers costs a minimum of 2500 ($17) in Astana.

Prices of flower bunches will add on 10-30% in Almaty flowers' shops tomorrow. Some would even become 500-1000 tenge ($3.4-6.8) more expensive. The price of one common rose will grow 100-200 tenge ($0.7-1.4).

Florists say that such price increase is the common situation all over the world. Both local flowers as well as large Dutch and Ecuadorian ones are supplied to Almaty flower shops. Almaty florists say that suppliers, not salesmen, control the prices.

Flowers form Netherlands and Stepnogorsk are going to be available for sale in Karaganda. The citizens can buy imported roses for 700-800 tenge ($4.7-5.4), chrysanthemums for 600 tenge ($4.1), gerberas for 500 tenge ($3.4), irises for 400 ($2.7). Roses, grown in Stepnogorsk cost 500-600 tenge ($3.4-4.1). According to one of Karaganda flower shops salesman flowers prices will go 200-300 tenge ($1.4-2.0) tomorrow. The main reason of this increase is that wholesale dealers raised the purchase prices prior to the 8th of March.

Prices of flowers have increased in Petropavlovsk as well. “Surely, all the flowers will go even further up by the 8th of March,” said city's flowers shop owner. The most popular flowers are roses, chrysanthemums and tulips. Rose goes up by 100 tenge ($0.7). An average price for a rose is 450-500 tenge ($3.4), a Dutch rose costs 800 tenge ($5.4). Petropavlovsk citizens can buy one chrysanthemum for 600-800 ($4.1-5.4), a tulip for 300-500 ($2.0-3.4), a orchid for 800 tenge ($5.4).

Pavlodar men prefer to present roses, chrysanthemums and tulips to women. Flowers shops there also say that they have to raise the prices because of their suppliers do so. Flower prices increase 25-30% in spite of the fact that flower producing countries do not raised the cost of the flowers.

Roses in pots cost 3000-3500 tenge ($20-24), the Dutch roses – 850-1000 ($5.4-6.8), Stepnogorsk roses – 500-650 ($3.4-4.4). Pavlodar residents pay 800 tenge ($5.4) for one chrysanthemum and 500 tenge ($3.4) for one tulip. Pavlodar florists said that the most popular bunches of flowers cost 2000-5000 ($13.5-34.0).

Flower prices raised in Semey as early as March 4. Florists said that suppliers dictated the terms to them. Prices of common roses have gone up insignificantly, but Dutch roses have fattened by 1000 tenge ($6.8) each. Bunches of flowers cost 1200-6000 tenge ($8.1-41.0).

The price of flowers imported to Shymkent from Netherlands and Uzbekistan has grown 20-30%. According to the salesmen the reason of the increase is not only the overwhelmingly high demand during the holiday but also because customs duties on flowers have been increased. One tulip costs 500 tenge ($3.4), carnations and hyacinth – 150 tenge ($1.0) per a flower. An Indian rose costs 500 tenge ($3.4), a Ditch rose – 1000 tenge ($6.8). Price of narcissus have doubled and one flower now costs 100 tenge ($0.7).

Flower prices situation is different in Kostanay. Every flower shop salesman plans different prices. For example, Nelli Zhdanova, private businessman who sells Dutch and Stepnogorsk flowers says that her prices will stay the same. “I won't increase the prices prior to the 8th of March holiday,” the businesswoman said. “It is absurd to raise the prices so high. Dealers have supplied lots of flowers in our city. I could call this increase reasonable if there were no flowers in the city. But I know that there is lots of flowers. I am selling one Dutch rose for 450 tenge ($3.0)," she said.

The situation in three neighboring shops is very different. One salesman says that the prices were still the same but they were ready to raise them if any other owner would do so. A next-door shop has already increased the prices, though.

“We have already raised the prices by 200 tenge ($1.4) three days ago. We are waiting a new lot of flowers on the eve of March 8, and the prices would be different,” salesman said. “Everything depends on the purchase price. Netherlands purchase price is higher and we could do nothing but to increase the prices.”

The flowers went up by 100 tenge ($0.7) in the shop across the road. They are selling Stepnogorsk and Dutch flowers there. Salesmen also refer to a higher purchase prices.