Right from 7.30 a.m., a bevy of men and women flower growers, with baskets of jasmines mounted over a rolled cloth on their heads, can be seen gathering on the outskirts of Pedana, a small weavers town near Machilipatnam of Krishna district.
Villagers say buyers come to the Pedana market from Kaikaluru, Gudivada, Kuchipudi, Bandar (Machilipatnam), Bantumilli and other places in the Krishna district. It is said to be the biggest jasmine market in the district after Machilipatnam town.
In an hour, about 30 growers gather at the market with their baskets of jasmine. A buzz of murmur envelopes the group as growers wait for customers. “Rates have dropped. The flower is being sold at ₹150-200 per kg,” says B. Nagaraju, a villager.
