Keeping them fresh: Tan putting together a flower arrangement for an opening ceremony at her shop in Anson Road, George Town. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Amid scorching temperatures, florists are facing the challenge of preserving their delicate flowers, which are wilting at a faster rate.
Elaine Tan said upon receiving the supply, they need to cut the stems off a bit and place them in pails of water.
“If we do not do this, they can wilt within a day. Before this, it used to be three days.
“After receiving the fresh flowers at about 6pm every day, we’ll have to make sure the flowers are stored in pails filled with water and kept in cold places.
“We also advise our customers to do the same,” she said.
Tan said half of her flower supply comes from Cameron Highlands, while the others are from Holland, Kenya and China.
She said she will not increase the prices of her bouquets, even in light of the introduction of the Sales and Service Tax (SST).
“Over the years, the prices have gone up due to delivery charges,” she said.
Florist Adren Ong, who has been in the business for over 30 years, said while some people have opted for artificial flowers, many still prefer fresh bouquets of flowers or wreaths.
“I keep the fresh flowers in the fridge. I have to store them with the stems submerged in water. Otherwise, they will die.
“We have last-minute orders and walk-in customers who want fresh flowers, so we have to always have stock on hand.
“For my case, there is usually strong demand for wreaths in March and July,” he said.
Ong said there seemed to be a shortage of flowers from Cameron Highlands over the past six months.
“The shortfall in supply could be due to the hot weather as well as the reduced number of flower farms in Cameron Highlands.
“Many of them switched to vegetable farming during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Sometimes I order six or eight packs of chrysanthemums, but then they only supply half of the amount.
“We do have suppliers in Penang, but they are pricier,” he said, adding that at times, the flowers do not look fresh, mainly due to the prolonged dry spell.
On the business front, Ong said he will not impose the SST on his customers.
“I absorb it, as business is not as good as before.
“More than a decade ago, there was high demand for fresh flowers, especially during festive occasions. But now, people can buy them online.
“We do still have a place in the floral market when it comes to wreaths and large displays for events or openings,” he said.
