Guwahati: Rising costs, shrinking customer demand and an uncertain future has left plant vendors at Kachari Market struggling to sustain a trade that has supported their families for decades.One of Guwahati’s oldest hubs for plants and gardening supplies, at first glance, the market appears to be thriving—rows of ornamental greens and flowering varieties such as ixora, jasmine, hibiscus, bougainvillea, mandevilla and marigold line the roadside, along with terracotta pots, soil and gardening essentials stacked nearby.However, those who have spent over two decades in the trade, say sales have steadily declined over the years, despite growing awareness about greenery and plantation drives.Srimanta Das, who has been selling plants for nearly 30 years, said business dropped sharply after the DC office from the nearby Brahmaputra river bank was shifted a few years ago.“Sales have been reduced drastically,” Das said, adding that monthly earnings now fluctuate between Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.He also alleged the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) of collecting a daily tax of Rs 50 — something he said had never been demanded before. “This whole area belongs to GMC and our stalls can be removed anytime,” said Das.The concerns are being raised at a time when Assam is promoting several green initiatives, including vertical gardens under city flyovers, Brahmaputra riverfront landscaping projects and the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign. However, vendors said they have not seen any increase in sales despite these efforts.Pranjal Malakar, who has spent over two decades in the trade, pointed to shifting preferences. “Youth’s interest has decreased,” he said. “Earlier people used to buy more plants”, he added.While one Aditya Kumar Baruah, a resident of Ulubari area, finds roadside stalls “handy and budget-friendly, but often lack variety and expert guidance,” Barkha Rani Chetia of Rehabari prefers nurseries.For Raktim Lahon of Dhirenpara, price is a barrier, while Barsha Das, another buyer said she now turns to online platforms first — a shift vendors at Kachari feel acutely.“We don’t have an official allotment here. GMC officials regularly ask us to move our stalls, so we are never sure how long we will be allowed to sell from this spot”, Shankar Barman who has been running his stall for 12 years, said.Despite these challenges, vendors like Shankar continue to set up their stalls every day hoping for customers and a change of fotune in the near future.
