(Yicai Global) Feb. 10 -- Sales have been booming at the Dounan Flower Market, Asia’s biggest marketplace for fresh cut flowers in Kunming, southwestern Yunnan province, since the week-long Lunar New Year holiday started last month and prices for a single rose and other popular varieties are now back to 2019 levels, Xinhua New Agency reported.

Some 77.6 million stems were sold over the Spring Festival break from Jan. 21 to Jan. 27 and turnover surpassed CNY100 million (USD14.7 million), said Gu Zhaofei, director of the management committee of Kunming Dounan International Flower Industrial Park, where the market is located.

Around 20,000 people flocked to the Dounan market on average each day during the break, Gu said. The market supplies cut flowers to over 40 countries and regions including Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. They are transported by air or other cold chain logistics.

The Kunming International Flower Auction and Trading Center has been selling more than three million stems each day since it reopened on Jan. 24 after closing for the holiday, said Li Qian, an auctioneer at the center. And prices have risen to an average of CNY2.40 (USD0.35) per stem.

There have been a lot of weddings and opening ceremonies since the break ended so flowers have been in high demand, she said. And sales should get even better in the run up to Valentine’s Day.

E-commerce platforms, especially WeChat mini programs and live streaming events, are also encouraging people to buy more flowers to decorate their homes.

A quarter of the blooms planted by farmer Zhang Kuaping are sold online. She even has regular subscribers, paying between CNY100 (USD15) and CNY200 a month for her flower arrangements. She arranges bouquets according to their specifications then ships them by air across the country to cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing in eastern Jiangsu province and Guangzhou in southern Guangdong province.

Editor: Kim Taylor