Marigolds offer an alternative income to farmers when there is insufficient rain to plant rice. Bright colorful marigold flowers are perfect for warming joyful gatherings and events. Their carnation-like flowers have made the bloom popular among gardeners. In Bali, marigolds are called gumitir and are usually used for offerings, in temples and for home decorations. In spite of their sparkling blooms, the flowers can have a pungent odor. In Badung regency, farmers now prefer to cultivate African marigolds (tagetes erecta), mostly for economic reasons.
The blooms are used in Balinese Hindu daily offerings and therefore demand is high and sustainable. Farmers usually cultivate marigolds during the dry season when water is inadequate to plant rice. One plant may produce dozens of blooms. Marigold cultivation is considered a promising farming activity. The harvest period ranges from 40 to 45 days. To plant and cultivate 1,000 seeds, a farmer needs around Rp 1.8 million. Each harvest season, he could hope to reap around Rp 3 to Rp 4 million. Local farmers mostly buy seeds from their counterparts in Java. To expand marigold farming, the provincial administration plans to develop a 62-hectare site for marigold cultivation. These bright yellow flowers not only beautify the island’s landscape but also enhance farmers’ welfare.