Saying it with artificial flowers!

A group of foreign nationals who were on their way to Saman Devalaya in Ratnapura suddenly spotted an elderly woman selling beautiful flowers in a stall at Kosgama. They stopped the vehicle and inquired the flower seller about the prices of flowers. As she couldn’t understand what the English woman was saying, a trishaw driver who was nearby helped the foreigner.

The foreigner said that they were going to Saman Devalaya and wanted to buy some colourful flowers to offer. Although, the flowers cost about Rs. 150, the foreign lady gave a Rs. 500. The foreign lady did not know that the trishaw driver had cheated her by selling artificial plastic flowers along with natural flowers that are generally used to offer in temples.

Identifying flowers

This story reveals that it is difficult to identify locally made artificial plastic flowers and natural flowers.

Flower shop

Kosgama in the Avissawella area is famous for artificial flowers. According to a longs-tanding artificial flower maker G.S. Gamini, the livelihood of about 20 families in that area is manufacturing artificial flowers.

Out visit to Kapuwella village, three kilometres off Kosgama was interesting. We met about 10 families whose livelihood was manufacturing artificial flowers out of empty plastic bottles. People of all ages between ten to 70 years are engaged in the industry.

59-year-old, Siri Madduma of Ihala Kosgama said they use only saline bottles and other plastic bottles to manufacture flowers and other items.

He said they are making not only plastic flowers, but also various kinds of toys such as birds and animals out of plastic bottles.

We are not selling our products here, as we have buyers in Colombo, he said.

He said importing various kinds of plastic flowers from China and Bangkok has badly affected the local industry and he requests authorities to minimise the imports of plastic flowers for the benefit of at least 100,000 people whose livelihood is manufacturing plastic flowers.

A longs-tanding artificial flower importer in Bankshall Street, Colombo and the owner of ‘Flower Centre’, M. Hussain said it was their family business.

According to Hussain, they started the business two decades ago and they sell both locally manufactured artificial plastic flowers and also imported flowers.

In our showroom, at least 80 percent are imported flowers. In addition to flowers, we sell leaves, plants and trees and bouquets.

Hussain said he has given employment to many persons in his shop and said his Flower Centre also provides gift items and ceramic vases.

He said he helps local craftsmen to sell their plastic flower products in his showroom and encourage them to manufacture more and more items.

While we were at the Flower Centre we spoke to several customers about artificial flowers and many of them said they have been customers of Flower Centre for that past 15 years.

A long-standing buyer of artificial flowers, S. Manawadu highly appreciated the service rendered by Flower Centre and said that he buys various plastic flower items for special occasions. He said imported flowers are in high quality than local plastic flowers and urged authorities to introduce the Chinese technology to Sri Lankan craftsmen.

The artificial flower selling business in our country has a long history of over 500 years. The history reveals that even during the colonial era the wives of British kings visited villages to see the art of making artificial flowers by village craftsmen.

The flowers were manufactured out of green leaves, ekels and pieces of clothes. Villagers were in the habit of picking flowers such as Nelum, Olu and Manel from ponds and rivers and make similar artificial flowers. The flowers were used to decorate palaces of kings.

The making of plastic flowers came thereafter.

Plastic flowers

A plastic flower maker Senarat Ambagahawatta of Pinnaduwa said he has been in the industry for the past 25 years and distributing his products to areas such as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy and Kurunegala. Artificial plastic flower seller, R. Sumanapala said he has been in the business at Bambalapitiya, Dehiwala and Kollupitiya for the past 13 years.

“There are over 100 artificial plastic flower shops in Colombo and we do not have a fixed monthly income, our daily income depends on the number of customers visiting our stalls”.

He said he sells both locally made and imported flowers and many people liked imported flowers.

A 56-year-old flower seller and a father of two, Y.R. Keerthisena who sells artificial flowers at Bellanwila Temple premises said, during the months of January, May, June and December he earns about Rs. 50,000 a month by selling flowers to local and foreign nationals.

Customers buying flowers.

flowers

A 38-year-old mother of three children Ramani Dayalatha of Pillaawa at Boralesgamuwa said she has been in the locally made artificial plastic flower selling business for the past 15 years and earns about Rs. 15,000 a month.

She said the Pillaawa Temple at Boralegamuwa has become popular among schoolchildren, since many of them come here during GCE (O/L), (A/L) examinations and Grade Five scholarship periods to make vows for their examinations.

Therefore in addition to plastic flowers, we also make plastic garlands.

I also provide plastic garlands to several boutiques near Hindu kovils in Colombo and Kandy.

“There are 27 flower stalls at Pillaawa and we have only one toilet. I appeal the Divisional Secretariat to consider our pathetic situation and construct another toilet and a wash room,’ a plastic flower shop owner Sirisena Gamage said.

She said unlike in the past, generally the locally made plastic flower selling business is running at a loss because of the arrival of more beautiful plastic flowers from China, and I appeal authorities to reduce the flower imports to safeguard local craftsman.

According to a long-standing flower seller Gunapala Peris at Kosgama, the authorities should give a helping hand to plastic flower manufacturers. Another plastic flower seller, Gunapala said in addition to flowers he sells clay pots, garlands, coconut oil lamps, pooja (offerings) baskets etc.

Gunapala also said generally plastic flower sellers get a good income during Vesak, Poson, Duruthu and Bak Full Moon Poya days, but due to the selling of imported flowers most flower sellers face immense hardships. Gunapala also blamed several politicians including Ministers who are responsible for safeguarding the country’s traditional industries, for not taking any interest to develop not only the plastic flower industry, but also many other small industries.

“If they have a real interest to protect our traditional industries, they should at least minimise the imports; then they can uplift the industry.”

A flower seller Sunil Gamini at Boralesgamuwa requested the authorities to help artificial flower sellers to construct houses through Bank loans. “As we generate only little monthly income and there is no recognition to our traditional business, no bank gives housing loans to us.

He also recalled how former President Ranasinghe Premadasa visited their stall one night and discussed the grievances of both artificial and natural flower sellers. He also helped many of us to construct houses, but unfortunately he passed away.

He said the former President also wanted to give lands to needy flower sellers.

AK