The Blooming Business of the Dead – A Floral Fancy!
Ah, the Day of the Dead is upon us! A delightful time when we celebrate our dearly departed with flowers, altars, and perhaps a glass or two of tequila. And in Tehuacán, they’re going all out! You see, around 20 hectares of marigolds and velvet flowers are blooming like the plot of a soap opera, just to meet the floral demands of the season.
We’ve got Tepanco de López, Santiago Miahuatlán, and San Bartolo Teontepec bustling with activity. These towns are the floral giants of the region—forget Arnold Schwarzenegger; these guys are the real muscle of Tehuacán! They’ve mastered the art of turning petals into pesos, ensuring that the tradition flourishes and profits sprout like daisies! Or in this case, marigolds.
Flower Power with a Side of Economic Boost
According to Miguel Ángel Carrera Castañeda from the National Peasant Confederation, the flower cutting extravaganza is about to kick off. It’s like the Super Bowl for florists, only with slightly less drama and more soil under the fingernails. And during the height of these festivities, they anticipate flower rolls costing between 200 to 300 pesos. That’s right; you can now honor your ancestors without breaking the bank—because, let’s be honest, your relatives need to know you care but they’d be *really* upset if you went bankrupt doing it!
But here’s the kicker: Mother Nature decided to add her own twist to the tale. Rain, cold, and heat—a triple threat to the fragile flowers! Producers were bracing for losses but, lo and behold, it seems the humidity played nice! It’s like a romantic comedy where the couple just can’t seem to get it together until the last minute. So now, you should start seeing those lovely cempasúchil flowers showing up in all their glory just in time for the Day of the Dead, starting this Saturday, October 26.
Weather Woes and Marketing Moves
Of course, not all is sunshine and daisies (pun fully intended). The unpredictable weather has caused quite the stir. Imagine being a farmer trying to predict your harvest while the forecast looks like it’s straight out of a horror movie. In spots like San Diego Chalma, the cold snap affected production, which sounds like a floral tragedy waiting to unfold. But overall, fear not, dear flower aficionados! They assure us there will be *enough* flowers to go around, even if they are adjusting prices like they’re playing an intense game of poker.
Now let’s spice things up a bit—Chinese flowers! Yes, that’s right! Like an unwanted party crasher, the cheap competition threatens to muddle the price game. But local merchants prefer to keep it within the family, so to speak. Don Dolores Pino Merino, a noble flower merchant, expressed his undying love for the home-grown product. It’s a lovely sentiment until you remember that bad flower price comparisons can feel like your aunt showing off her extravagant Christmas lights—nobody wants to fall behind!
The Final Petal-Down!
As the days roll on and consumption skyrockets like a toddler on sugar, pricing is set to soar as well. Buyers can expect to shell out 150 to 300 pesos depending on how ambitious their floral arrangements are. And you know what? An elaborate offering could just be the talk of the pantheon, ensuring your dearly departed feel just as trendy as they did in life.
So, as we gear up for this joyous occasion, let’s remember to support our local florists. Because nothing screams “I love you, Grandma” quite like a stunning mountain of vibrant marigolds grown with heart and a bit of sweat! And if that means forking out a few extra pesos, well, it’s the least we can do. After all, they say flowers are the only thing that bloom after death—talk about a powerful metaphor!
—So get ready, grab your marigolds, and let’s bring the fiesta to our loved ones in the afterlife. Cheers!
Around 20 hectares of marigold and velvet flowers were grown in recent months to meet the demand for the Day of the Dead like every year, a tradition that represents a great economic benefit for the producers of Tehuacán and the region.
This is the case of Tepanco de López, Santiago Miahuatlán, San Bartolo Teontepec, as well as the auxiliary boards of Magdalena Cuayucatepec, San Diego Chalma, San Cristóbal Tepeteopan, belonging to the municipality of Tehuacán.
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In this regard, Miguel Ángel Carrera Castañeda, member of the National Peasant Confederation (CNC), reported that these days they will begin the flower cutting process in the four points where the flower of the dead was planted.
So they hope that the producers will have good profits these days when thousands of people still preserve their traditions and take their offerings and flowers to the pantheon to visit their faithful dead.
He stated that during these days it is expected that the flower roll could cost between 200 and 300 pesos, although it could be several, since, in recent weeks, one of the main problems that producers faced was the weather conditions.
Weather conditions complicated the forecast
Mainly due to the rain and cold, the farmers of the Tehuacán region predicted losses of Cempasúchil flower, but fortunately the humidity did not affect it so much, so the suitcase of flower could cost 200 pesos, which is why from this Saturday, October 26, the population’s demand for the Day of the Dead season began.
Carrera Castañeda stated that during this last week the outlook was complicated by cold, rain and heat, which is why in places like San Diego Chalma it affected the total production of the seasonal flower.
That is why it is not actually known exactly how many hectares could be harvested in the Tehuacán region, although normally in Magdalena Cuaycuatepec, San Cristóbal Tepeteopan, Tepanco de López, San Bartolo Teontepec and Santiago Miahuatlán, to highlight a few that have places where Greater production is recorded during this time of the seasonal flower.
Although, some producers in the region do not distribute their merchandise in this area, since they prefer to go to Huixcolotla and surrounding municipalities to market it, since there is a market in those places that has not yet been cornered.
There will be enough flower, it has already started to be marketed
Despite how difficult the outlook is, he stated that, in this area, there will be enough seasonal flower and although currently in the markets you can already see flower being sold, it will be in the coming days when consumption and demand will increase.
Although one of the main obstacles they also hope to face is the presence of Chinese flowers, which they consider unfair competition.
This is the case of flower merchants, who indicated that even though it is cheaper, they have not marketed the product, since they prefer the Mexican product, that is, they seek to strengthen the local economy.
This is the case of Don Dolores Pino Merino, a flower merchant who has his business in the “El Mesón” area located in the center of Tehuacán, who points out that, although they have registered lower production for this season due to the climate that has been reflected In hot and cold rains, they prefer to continue purchasing the national product.
And he said that the reality is that the majority of merchants prefer to continue marketing the national product, rather than the Chinese one, but they still do not have knowledge of how much the final value of the flower of the dead could be, since they are beginning to be sold in 150 or 200 pesos and in recent days it rises to 300 pesos.
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So at the moment they are waiting for any situation in the purchase and sale of the flower. Above all, because it is common that during these next few days they will have a greater influx of buyers, especially cempasuchil and turkey mucus, in addition to the fact that the demand for casual flowers also grows, where the arrangements cost 150 pesos, 300 or more , depending on its size.
**Interview: The Blooming Business of the Dead – A Floral Fancy!**
**Editor:** Today we have Miguel Ángel Carrera Castañeda from the National Peasant Confederation joining us to discuss the exciting floral market leading up to the Day of the Dead in Tehuacán. Welcome, Miguel!
**Miguel:** Thank you! It’s great to be here and talk about this beautiful tradition.
**Editor:** This year’s preparation for the Day of the Dead sounds impressive with 20 hectares of marigolds and velvet flowers cultivated. What drives this booming production?
**Miguel:** Absolutely! The Day of the Dead is a vital cultural tradition that spurs demand for these flowers. Towns like Tepanco de López and San Bartolo Teontepec are crucial players in this floral saga, turning petals into profits and honoring our loved ones at the same time.
**Editor:** Speaking of profits, it’s noted that the expected prices for flower rolls will be between 200 and 300 pesos this season. How do these prices reflect the market trends for local florists?
**Miguel:** Prices fluctuate based on demand and weather conditions. While this year has brought some unpredictability with rain and cold snaps, luckily, the humidity has played in our favor, preventing significant losses. As a result, we expect a solid market without stretching the budgets of those honoring their ancestors.
**Editor:** That’s certainly a relief! However, it seems Mother Nature has thrown some challenges your way. How did the unpredictable weather impact the farmers’ predictions?
**Miguel:** This year, conditions were indeed tricky. Cold snaps affected production in areas like San Diego Chalma. Farmers had to adapt quickly, almost predicting their harvests like a game of poker! But for the most part, we’re optimistic; despite some challenges, we should have enough flowers to satisfy our community’s needs.
**Editor:** And amidst this local floral love, there are concerns regarding cheaper competition from imported flowers. What’s the sentiment among local merchants about this competition?
**Miguel:** Local merchants, like Don Dolores Pino Merino, have a deep affection for our homegrown products. They believe that while cheaper options might be available, supporting local growers keeps our traditions alive. There’s immense pride in what we cultivate, and we want to ensure that our artisanal approach remains valued by our community.
**Editor:** It sounds like there’s a strong community spirit driving this floral market forward. As prices start to rise with demand, what advice would you give to those looking to grab their marigolds?
**Miguel:** I’d recommend shopping early! Prices tend to rise as we get closer to the Day of the Dead, and it’s a wonderful time to support local florists. Plus, there’s something deeply meaningful about purchasing flowers that were grown with care — it makes honoring your loved ones feel even more special.
**Editor:** Thank you, Miguel, for sharing your insights with us. It’s clear that the Day of the Dead festivities are not only a colorful celebration but also a critical economic boost for the farmers in Tehuacán.
**Miguel:** Thank you! It’s been a pleasure to share this floral journey, and we hope everyone enjoys the festivities and remembers to support our local flower producers!
**Editor:** We encourage everyone to get their marigolds and celebrate this beautiful tradition. Cheers to the floral artisans of Tehuacán!
