In conversation with Om Prakash Chaudhary, a flower supplier
He is into business for the past 18 years. And has been setting up his stall every 3 days in the market. Other days he is involved in online retailing with online portals.
1.Where is your supplying business based in Delhi? Do you operate elsewhere too?
I used to operate from Chandni Chowk area. However,I have shifted to Gazipur flower market,where the hub of flower market is based.
2.From where do you procure these flowers?
I procure these flowers from either directly from farmers,who are based in and around Delhi or suppliers from Kolkata,Andhra Pradesh etc.
3.Do you directly sell the flowers or further sell them off to small retailers?
Part flowers are sold off to online retailers,who I have contract with and rest is managed by me.
4.Do you employ people from around here?
I do employ people to help me with selling business and in collecting flowers and picking them up different places.
5.How do the flowers come here? How are they transported?
Flowers come in lorries or trains here. From where we unload them or get them transported to the market in trucks.
6.How do you manage the flowers? Like looking after them,keeping them from wilting etc.
I usually have some space rented in the cold storage facility for storing the flowers for a bit longer time. In the market we usually keep ice and water to keep them fresh.
7.What all problems do you face here?
Storage is a big problem here. I have to rent a place far from here to store my flowers which are precious in terms of their value,like tulips etc. Apart from that this place is far from the main city,which makes commuting and transporting supply very difficult. Water logging is yet another problem here.
8.Since the shifting what all facilities have been provided in this centralized flower hub?
Shades have been provided although they are not enough. Apart from this space for setting up stalls,nothing significant has been provided.
