A rose garden nestled amidst hills in the northern province of Khon Kaen Province, prepares to harvest roses for traders as there is high demand for roses for the upcoming Valentine’s Day.
Ms. Sukanya Promthong, the owner of the Phraew Banpha Namthiang Rose Garden, located in Sichomphu district used to cultivate sugarcane, but due to low sugarcane prices, she turned to rose cultivation six years ago.
The prices of roses saw an increase during this year’s Valentine’s Day period. The starting price per rose at the garden was set at 5 baht, up from the normal prices of 3 baht for small roses and 5 baht for large ones.
This year, there were pre-booked orders from middlemen who came directly to the garden. Over 20,000 roses were pre-ordered during the Valentine’s Day festival, generating an income of over 100,000 baht. This marked an increase compared to non-festival periods when the garden typically sells roses for 20,000 to 30,000 baht in each round of harvesting.
Her garden can now be considered the largest rose garden in Khon Kaen Province, covering an area of 6 rai (2.4 acres), with over 30,000 rose plants. It has received support from the Khon Kaen Provincial Government and the Provincial Agricultural Office to establish it as a community enterprise, providing knowledge on rose cultivation and distribution of rose seedlings to interested people.
Additionally, it has been developed into an agricultural tourism destination. Roses are processed into rose tea, known for its good taste and fragrance, and rose petals are used to prepare dishes such as rose petal wrap appetizer, offering tourists the benefits of stress relief and relaxation. On February 14th, this rose garden was also selected as a venue for registering marriages for couples intending to register in Sichomphu district. (TNA)
