Written by PAUL MWIJAGYE

KAMPALA, UGANDA - Florists in Uganda did not reap much from Valentines Day sales because of the day fell on a Sunday.

 
"This year’s Valentines Day people were at home because it was a Sunday. On celebrations occurring during week days, we would get more customers as people would be in offices," Fred Makumbi, the director of Rusadia Florists told East African Business Week.

 
 He recently said despite the drop in sales, orders for flowers doubled compared to what they sell on ordinary days. "Normally we work from 8:30am to 5:30pm but this time we had to put in extra hours and work up to 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday to meet the demand from our customers," said Makumbi.

 
Sheila of Harver Florists also told EABW that compared to days when Valentines falls during week days, there was a drop in demand.

 
  "During working days, we would sell more," she said.  

 
Exporters said there was little demand mainly due to the effects of the credit crunch and flowers are largely regarded a luxury.

 
 "There used to be a lot of demand for roses on the international market on Valentines but this was not the case. Some people are still being threatened with eviction from their homes because of failure to meet mortgage demands," said Hope Kabirisi, the managing director Perfect Roses flower firm.

 
'Such people could not think of buying roses for their loved ones when there were more pressing needs." She said the terrible winter this year has not helped the situation either.

 
"The situation is not yet good, for the second year running there has not been special Valentines prices on red roses as was the case except about 2 US cents on a variety called Valentino."

 
But for many people Valentines Day flowers remains a foreign phenomenon yet to be routed in our culture.

 
"You guys are good at taking matooke (bananas) and byenda (offals ) to a girl not flowers, read an email to an EABW reporter. "And this year it was made worse by the day falling on a Sunday."