Mumbai’s favourite symbol of love, the red rose, is set to cost romantics more this Valentine’s Day. From Dadar’s bustling wholesale lanes to boutique flower studios, prices have risen sharply in the run-up to February 14, with florists attributing the spike to weather disruptions and seasonal demand overlap. Yet, despite the surge, roses continue to remain the emotional anchor of Valentine’s gifting, cutting across age groups and budgets. ‘The prices for single stems and the bouquets escalate by 10 times’Roses still remain one of the most popular V-Day gifts across all ages. Whether it’s a single long-stemmed bloom, a bouquet, or an elaborate floral box, the red rose continues to dominate the language of love. “The eve of Valentine’s Day and February 14 itself, usually sees the sharpest spike in prices as last-minute buyers flood the market. The prices for single stems as well as aesthetic bouquets escalates to 10 times the regular price,” says a Santosh Sahu, who runs a wholesale luxury flower shop near Parel. From Nashik to Dadar: The supply chainAlmost all of the city’s Valentine’s flower trade flows through Dadar’s iconic wholesale market. “We get flowers from Nashik in the wee hours,” says Devata Vishwanath Choudhary, a flower retailer for the last four decades. Giving a snapshot of current rates, he shares, “This month, retail rates in Mumbai are touching around ₹450–500 per bundle of 20 roses, and retailers like us have been selling each for ₹30.” A seller at the Prakash Bhoite flower shop at Dadar’s whole market says, “I sell bunches of 20 roses for Rs 80-100, but during Valentine’s week, it goes up. Love still finds a wayDespite the spike, florists expect brisk sales. “For many Mumbaikars, the gesture matters more than the price tag, and the red rose – timeless and symbolic – continues to say what words often cannot,” shares Rohit Singh from a floral studio. Sanju, a vendor from Dadar, says, “Price chahe kuch bhi ho… Valentine’s Day pe red rose toh bikta hi hai.”About evolving customer preferences, Avi Kumar, CMO at FNP, says, “Consumer preferences have evolved, but roses remain the emotional anchor of Valentine’s gifting. What’s changed is the presentation. Customers are now choosing curated arrangements paired with cakes, chocolates or cards. Gen Z tends to spend less but experiment more, opting for playful formats and a wider palette. Older buyers spend more overall and prefer classic red roses and traditional bouquets.”Dadar wholesale market100 red roses: Begins at ₹450-500Local suburban florists100 red roses: Begins at ₹3000Flower studios / Luxury boutiques100 red roses: Begins at ₹7000Rose prices have risen sharply across wholesale and retail markets ahead of Valentine’s Day due to delayed production caused by colder weather conditions in December 2025 and also because of strong seasonal demand due to the wedding season and Valentine’s Day gifting – Ketan Amle, a florist from Matunga.This Rose Day, we sold 10 lakh roses, with demand skewed towards premium single-stem roses and compact bouquets – Avi Kumar, CMO at FNP
