Massive slump in demand during the peak season has the nursery industry on edge

Sales have been down for months and if this continues, thousands could lose their jobs and many nurseries will shut down, operators say.

This time last year, SR Nursery in Dhumbarahi was bustling with activity. There was a constant flow of customers coming in and out, and throughout the day, the nursery’s staff remained busy loading dozens of plant saplings on the back of trucks, which were then transported to hotels, restaurants, party palaces and offices.