THIS year¡¯s first Spring Festival flower fair in Shenzhen opened yesterday at Nanshan Flower World, but only a few residents visited the market because of the chilly weather.
¡°It is cold today. I would like to look around the flower market first, and decide later what to buy,¡± said a visitor surnamed He.
Because of the cold weather, it was estimated that the average price of flowers would increase by 10 percent, and some flowers might not blossom during the Spring Festival which falls on Feb. 7, according to an organizing official.
A shop owner surnamed Li said the price of small-sized Mandarin orange trees was 80 yuan (US$11) this year, much more expensive than the average price of 60 yuan last year.
Mandarin orange trees, azaleas and narcissus are the main flowers in the market. Orchids are among the most popular flowers to decorate homes for the most important festival in China.
¡°The most expensive orchid here is 3,600 yuan. The prices of orchids are 20 percent higher than last year,¡± said another shop owner surnamed Liu. She suggested customers to buy orchids with fewer buds in such cold weather.
This is the 18th flower fair in Nanshan District. It has 288 booths in total, including the flower section, section for Chinese New Year couplets, also known as Chinese chunlian, and festival food section.
The flower fair on Aiguo Road in Luohu District, the largest and most popular in the city, will be open between Saturday to Feb. 6. It has been running for 27 years.
Other flower markets will also open soon, including the Futian District flower fair Thursday, flower fairs in Bao¡¯an District and Yantian District on Friday. All flower markets in the city will last until the lunar New Year¡¯s Eve. (By Cai Yingbo)
