BHAKTAPUR, Nov. 7 -- The family of Laxmi Nagarkoti is busy making garlands of Gomphrena Globosa commonly known as Makhmali flower as the festival of flowers - Tihar - is less than a week away.

Nagarkoti's family, which got into the business of floriculture a decade ago, used to receive a huge volume of demand during the Tihar festival in the past. The family also exported flowers to a number of foreign countries in the past. But the pandemic this year has taken the charm off their business.

"As compared to the previous years, the production has slumped significantly. This year due to the Corona pandemic, there was a lockdown. In view of the possible impact of COVID-19 on our business, we sowed comparatively fewer seeds this year," Laxmi...