Lunar New Year 2012: Rent Hikes, Cold Snap Spell Woe for Seasonal Flower Vendors

Hong Kong — The four days leading up to the Lunar New Year holiday are make or break for flower vendor Ng Donoan.

That’s when he makes the bulk of his sales of flowers, a vital part of the holiday festivities. But this year, higher rents and chilly temperatures threaten to eat into his profits. Ng is gloomy.

Gladioli - up 100% in price

“As the cost, especially the rent, has increased so much, we are not optimistic about our business,” he said as he deftly wrapped a bunch of long-stemmed gladioli.

“Although there should be some gains, it will not be greater than last year’s.”

A contractual confidentiality agreement precludes Ng from giving details about the rent he pays for his holiday period stall in Sui Sai Wan, on the eastern side of Hong Kong island. He said only that his landlord, the Link Management Ltd, had raised his rent by 20 to 30% which meant he paid more than HK$2,000 a day.

Cold weather had taken a toll on many blooms, too, he said.

“We did not dare to raise the price value of other flowers except gladiolus, which the farmers said they have just lost more than 90% of the harvest in the cold.”

Popular festive alternatives to gladioli

Anthurium	Cineraria	Lilium

Ng has been a flower vendor for more than 30 years. His main stall is in Chai Wan. He supplements it ahead of the Lunar New Year with an additional outlet at nearby Sui Sai Wan.

He fears many of his customers will turn to cheaper vendors this year — or will choose less costly flowers.

“I fear my old customers may buy flowers from the other stores. In such an unpredictable economy, they tend to be more cautious on their spending.”

Popular cheaper alternatives to the gladiolus include lilium, a lily originally from Japan, cineraria and anthurium or flamingo flowers, Ng said.