Fci April 2014

FloraCulture w w w. f l o r a c u lt u r e . e u

UNITED STATES

Society of American Florists (SAF): its historical background, goals and future plans

BRAZIL

Holambra celebrates its silver jubilee

International Women’s Day Tulips and roses prove most popular Brought to you by

www.kisan.com

A p r i l 2014

The business magazine for worldwide floriculture

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For more FCI partners see page 34.

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Table of Contents

April 2014 Volume 24 Number 4

‘We all serve a unique purpose’ FCI sat down with Peter Moran, CEO of the Society of American Florists (SAF) to find out about SAF’s historical background, its goals and future plans.

by Jaap N. Kras

Moroccan peonies to conquer international cut flower market

Veiling Holambra celebrates silver jubilee

Dutch flower exporter De JetSet BV and former New York-based floral wholesaler Dick Houtenbos have teamed up to jointly market Morocco-grown peonies on the international marketplace.

by Ron van der Ploeg and Maria Starodubrovskaya

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Fynbloem farm gives Protea sector an enormous boost

To become better acquainted with the Protea growers and their farms, my wife and I travelled to South Africa where the CEO of FynBloem, Mr.Beyers and his business partner Mr. Larsen were so kind to offer us a behindthe-scenes look on the Bloemenkraal Landgoed (estate) in Riviersonderend, South Africa.

by Jaap N. Kras

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This month, the reverse auction system of Veiling Holambra completes 25 years of activity in Brazil. The vision of flower and plant producers in the late 1980s that wanted an effective tool to market their products has become, in two decades, a benchmark for the Brazilian flower and plant market.

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by our own correspondents

Success blooms at Brandkamp

Brandkamp, an expert in breeding and propagation of chrysanthemums and bedding plants, places a strong emphasis on constant innovation to meet the changing needs of its international customers.

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by Ron van der Ploeg

Florall: new plant sales season appears promising

The Florall Spring Fair (Ghent, Belgium March 4-5) hosted more than 150 stands with great companies to meet in person!

by Ron van der Ploeg and Maria Starodubrovskaya

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Departments FCI’s international partnerships World News International Events Science Monthly Advertising Index

4 21 31 32 35

Columns From the editor Dutch Comfort Miami Certifiable in California

07 11 21 27

April 2014 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Colofon

From the editor

‘Concordia res parvae crescunt’

Last year, large parts of Europe were shivering through a spell of unusually chilly weather, while this year the weather gods have been kind to the old continent. While in Europe balmy temperatures prompt more consumers to flower shops and garden centres, in the United States the prolonged cold weather kept shoppers away from stores in recent weeks, with bedding plant sales being particularly hit.

Editorial & Administration Offices FloraCulture International Hedd Alwyn Business address: ECA Office 140-21, Legmeerdijk 313, Hughes 1431 GB Aalsmeer Postal address: Postbus 1081, 1430 BB Aalsmeer T (31) 297 769 095 Circulation Administration: FBW Woerden P.O. Box 612, 3440 AP Woerden, the Netherlands T (31) 34 84 31 393 F (31) 34 84 32 552 info@fbw-woerden.nl Angie Duffree Editors: Ron van der Ploeg (ron@floracultureinternational.com) Editorial team: Chris Beytes, Lotte Bjarke, Aldo Colombo, Arturo Croci, Audrey Gerber, Marie-Françoise Petitjean, John Sutton, Jennifer Zurko and Alicja Cecot.

Founding editor: Debbie Hamrick Publisher: FloraCulture International (jaap@floracultureinternational.com) Printer: SDA Print+Media Designers: SDA Print+Media, Aryen Bouwmeester Copy correction and sub-editing: Vanessa Heinrich Cover photograph: Flower Council of Holland

Advertising Sales Offices

Dr. Sun Jing Xian

Niranjan Deshpande

Europe, Africa, Asia/Pacific International Accounts Management: FloraCulture International, Business address: ECA Office 140-21, Legmeerdijk 313, 1431 GB Aalsmeer Postal address: Postbus 1081, 1430 BB Aalsmeer, the Netherlands T (31) 297 769 095 M (31) 62 21 65 220 Hedd Alwyn Hughes (hedd@floracultureinternational.com) Angie Duffree (angie@floracultureinternational.com) Italy, Southern France: Arturo Croci, (acearturo@yahoo.it) Scandinavia: Lotte Bjarke (post@lottebjarke.dk) LB Text & Idé, Søndervej 10, 8350 Hundslund, Denmark T (45) 21 48 75 30 USA, Canada, Central America: Paul Black (pblack@ballpublishing.com) Ball Publishing, 622 Town Road, PO Box 1660, West Chicago, IL 60186, United States T (1)6 30 23 13 675 F (1)6 30 23 15 254 Miami: William Armellini (william@floracultureinternational.com) China: Dr Sun Jing Xian (consultingflower@yahoo.com.cn) India: Niranjan Deshpande (team@kisan.com) T (91) 20 302 52 000

by Ron van der Ploeg

Our man in the United States, Chris Beytes from our sister publication GrowerTalks, reports that in his country the hope of an early spring is a vain one. “We aren’t getting it. I’ve seen several Facebook postings of greenhouses full of pansies with notes that this time last year, pansies were almost sold out,” said Beytes, who through his weekly newsletters asks growers to rate their sales during the Spring weekends.

Speaking of the United States, Peter Moran, CEO of the 130 yearold American Society of Florists (SAF) sat down with Jaap Kras, the publisher of FloraCulture International, for a series of talks in March. Moran spoke about SAF’s historical background and goals.

Page 8.

By setting an ambitious goal, to build the most successful production facility for Proteas in South Africa, Mr. Beyers and Mr. Larsen forced themselves to be more creative when setting up their Fynbloem Protea farm on the Bloemenkraal Landgoed (estate) in Riviersonderend, South Africa. They concentrated the production, harvest and packaging activities in a single location that specialises in export ready products. Thanks to companies such as FynBloem, the Protea industry is modernising, and production is becoming increasingly reliable and professional. It is anticipated that modern companies of this type will give the Protea sector an enormous boost. Page 14.

Brazil’s largest flower auction, Cooperativa Veiling Holambra celebrates its silver jubilee this year. The first auction in Holambra was held on April 3, 1989, when a group of ornamental flower and plant producers, from the first Cooperativa Agropecuária Holambra (CAPH), decided to sell their products using the Dutch auction system. The vision of flower and plant producers in the late 1980s, who wanted an effective tool to market their products, has in two decades become a benchmark for the Brazilian flower and plant market. Page 18.

Exciting times ahead also for the growers of Atlas Peonies who are heralding the start of spring as their first flowering crops are being readied for harvest. One of the benefits of growing peonies in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains is that plants produce an advanced crop. Driss El Hadji, one of the driving forces behind the project explained that the company’s production schedules are designed to be at market earlier than the Dutch growers. Page 12.

follow us on facebook FloraCulture International (ISSN1051-9076) is published monthly.

Worldwide distribution. ©2014 FloraCulture International magazine.

All rights reserved. No portion of editorial may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.

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Send address changes to FloraCulture International magazine, Postal address: Postbus 1081, 1430 BB Aalsmeer, the Netherlands.

Ron van der Ploeg, editor ron@floracultureinternational.com

April 2014 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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United States FCI sat down with Peter Moran, CEO of the Society of American Florists (SAF) to find out about SAF’s historical background, its goals and future plans. “SAF has had a longstanding history of collaborating with the many different organisations that exist in the U.S. market. We stay very focussed on our mission of meeting SAF members’ needs and at this point in time, the various national organisations all serve a unique purpose.”

by Jaap N. Kras

‘ We all serve a unique purpose’ T

he Society of American Florists is the leading organisation representing all segments of the floral industry.

SAF is proud to provide marketing, government advocacy, industry intelligence and best practices information for its more than 7,000 members. SAF members include all participants in the U.S. floral industry -- growers, wholesalers, retailers, suppliers, importers, educators, designers and allied organisations.

Umbrella organisation

By representing all segments of the floral industry, SAF is the umbrella organisation, thus incorporating the perspectives of the entire industry, not just one segment. SAF provides many forums for members from different segments to interact with each other, network and connect to improve their individual businesses as well as the industry as a whole. According to the

Since the inception of the SAF PR Fund in 2001, SAF’s PR programmes have generated more than 1.1 billion impressions via national magazines, newspapers, TV, radio and online

Floral emblem of the USA While the Rose was designated the official flower and floral emblem of the United States of America in 1986, SAF promotes the benefits of all flowers and plants.

www.FloraCulture.eu | April 2014

association’s CEO, Peter Moran, the best opportunity to do that is at the annual SAF Convention, where different segments come together to learn, discuss challenges they face, and connect with each other.

“Our Congressional Action Days, held each spring in Washington, D.C., provides members with a chance to gather and present small business challenges and issues to members of Congress. Groups of SAF members from each state visit their congressional offices, with growers, wholesalers/suppliers, and retailers working together to present a united front on behalf of the floral industry.”

First beginnings

Chartered by an Act of Congress in 1884, the Society of American Florists was founded in Chicago by 21 members of the American Association of Nurserymen, Florists and Seedsmen. They created the new organisation to provide hail insurance for members. They mailed invitations to florists across the country. Annual dues were two dollars. Moran: “While SAF no longer directly offers insurance, we do work with our strategic business partner Hortica Insurance and Employee Benefits which was founded in the 1800’s by SAF. Through Hortica Insurance a

mutual company SAF members can find programmes tailored to their specific company needs.”

The value of educating children about the value of flowers and plants was the focus of SAF in 1892. When asked about SAF’s current educational programmes for children Moran said, “SAF does not specifically promote flowers to children, however, Ecuador has a programme called Flowers for Kids that provides educational tools to help florists promote the programme in their local markets.”

National promotion

In the 1920s SAF launched a $1 million advertising campaign featuring its legendary quality slogan ‘Say It With Flowers’.

In 1969, the American Floral Marketing Council (AFMC) was created. AFMC evolved from earlier promotional groups and would later become the one of the nation's largest voluntarily funded marketing programmes.

The 1990s saw a great spirit of unity. In 1993 the industry joined to spearhead the passage of PromoFlor through Congress, the first step to realising earlier dreams of a national promotion effort. Congressional awareness of America’s floral industry increased again as the Agricultural Appropriations Bill cited floriculture as a target for increased research funding.

In 1994, PromoFlor was signed into law and the industry was one step closer to a ten-million-

One of the main messages SAF conveys to consumers is the expertise of professional florists as the outlet of choice.

dollar advertising campaign to promote flowers between holidays.

“Unfortunately, Promoflor failed in referendum in 1999, and there has been no mandatory promotion order since. SAF, through the voluntary SAF Fund for Nationwide Public Relations, promotes flowers and plants to the consumer with a very limited budget. Since the inception of the SAF PR Fund in 2001, SAF’s PR programmes have generated more than 1.1 billion impressions via national magazines, newspapers, TV, radio and online.”

Marketing objective

Peter Moran, CEO of the Society of American Florists (SAF).

Peter outlined that the association’s marketing objective is to increase awareness and consumption of flowers and plants through consumer- and industry-based marketing education and information programmes. “We do this through strategic public relations programmes - working through the media to promote the floral message in the context of everyday news – as well as social media programmes.”

SAF’s floral messages are spread via their consumer website (www.aboutflowers.com), blog (www.aboutflowersblog.com), and channels such as Facebook (www.facebook.com/aboutflowers. com), Twitter (www.twitter.com/ flowerfactor), Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/aboutflowers) and You Tube (www.youtube.com/ SAFaboutflowers).

Peter went on to say that over the last decade SAF had partnered with several university researchers/ psychologists to study the effects

of flowers on peoples’ emotional well-being. “Flowers have been scientifically proven time and time again to be good for our emotional health!”

See this link for a library of studies: http://www.aboutflowers.com/ health-benefits-a-research.html How big is SAF’s annual budget for promotion? Peter: “Because SAF, through the PR Fund, has a very limited promotion budget, public relations and social media are the most cost effective means of promotion. Our annual budget is $150,000-$200,000. This is for ‘generic’ promotion through SAF, however, there are bigger companies in the floral industry such as 800 Flowers, FTD, Teleflora, ProFlowers, etc., that do much more advertising to promote their specific brands.”

Consumer behaviour

SAF portrays its ‘flowers and wellbeing message’ often when coming up with new programmes to share with the media. “We also use a variety of third-party spokespeople from different areas of expertise such as love and relationships, gift giving, home decorating and entertaining to carry our positive messages about flowers and plants.”

When asked about SAF’s consumer surveys Moran said, “We periodically look at consumer behaviour and their motivations and barriers to buying flowers and plants. We have also looked at the differences between generations and their perceptions of flowers.”

One of the main messages we convey to consumers, in addition to the benefits of flowers and plants, is the expertise of professional florists as the outlet of choice. SAF offers marketing materials for its member florists’ use and those materials carry a variety of promotional headlines and the tagline: ‘Florists – Experts in the Art of Expression’.

Flower and plant giving holidays

In Europe, International Women’s Day and Grand Parent’s Day (Italy) are rapidly becoming some of the biggest holidays for giving flowers as a gift, are there any new floral holidays at the USA horizon?

>>>

April 2014 | www.FloraCulture.eu

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United States “Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Christmas are the biggest flower- and plant-giving holidays in the U.S.. Women’s Day is gaining traction in the U.S., in terms of awareness of its observance, but not yet as a gift-oriented occasion.

However, SAF promoted Women’s Day for the first time in 2013 through social media. We made a bigger social media effort this year (blog, Facebook posts, tweets) and also created a wealth of resources to encourage florists to promote the occasion in their local markets.

We provided shareable graphics for Facebook, web banner ads, print ads, radio commercial scripts, blog posts, suggested Facebook posts and tweets, produced colour fliers, a press release, talking points, and promotional ideas and advice. Despite making the tools and resources available, we saw little activity on the part of florists to promote the holiday. In our opinion, it will take time, and significant marketing efforts by many industries, for Women's Day to gain true momentum as a giftbuying holiday.”

Intelligence to the industry

In addition, to the consumer research activities mentioned above, providing research and statistics for SAF members remains a priority to provide industry intelligence to the industry.

“SAF also surveys our members on a regular basis and reports on those findings so members can learn from each other’s experiences, “ said Peter.

He added, “SAF has several publications –from our monthly magazine, to several weekly online publications, to emails about important issues - that reach our members on a regular basis with industry intelligence and information on best practices. We also have several different meetings and educational workshops and seminars of varying lengths and both face to face and online to help educate the industry as a whole and for specific segments.”

A unique purpose

SAF has had a long-standing history of collaborating with the many different organisations that exist in the U.S. market.

“We stay very focussed on our mission of meeting SAF members’ needs and, at this point in time the various national organisations all serve a unique purpose.

Therefore it is difficult to say if sometime in the future, if those purposes became more homogenous a consolidation would occur.” |||

Dutch Comfort

by Jaap N. Kras

Capitalism

Many companies in our industry face severe competition. Competition forces them to bring down the profit margins and even accept losses in certain periods. Similarly, growers are forced to reduce their costs to be more efficient and to increase employee productivity.

Horticultural entrepreneurs invest in cheaper production methods while mechanising, automating and robotising their operational processes to lower labour costs. Often, they are squeezed out by high costs and such rock-bottom prices that they are worried sick about whether their company will survive in the long run. From time to time they see no other way than to use illegal employment, tax practices or forbidden pesticides. These are sad, but unfortunately not unique cases in the ornamental horticulture industry.

The last two decades saw plenty of new discoveries and technology changed faster than ever. These changes are structural and new technologies have become an integral part of our daily lives. Meanwhile, the pertinent question is: what future lies ahead for bankers, postal services, wholesalers, car dealers, retail shops and supermarkets? And even for printers, publishers and editors when speaking about our own field of expertise.

Some well-known economists predict that all current institutions including trade unions, banks and governmental bodies will disappear in the future.

They will be replaced by revolutionary new techniques and inventions or their disappearance will simply be the result of the famous law of supply and demand.

The only certainty we have is that consumers cherish a never-ending love for flowers and plants and that there will always be growers to produce them.

What we also know is that from flower farm to store shelves, flowers and plants need to be delivered.

Despite this certainty of demand, there are only two ways to sell products; either you offer a cheaper price than your colleague or your product is so unique that consumers are willing to buy and pay a nice price.

The shake out of companies horizontally and vertically through the supply chain leads to an increasing economies of scale, featuring fewer companies producing more products and services; against small profit margins.

Luckily enough my good old friend and daffodil breeder, Jaap Leenen, taught me that the range of ornamental flowers and plants is so wide and exciting that a grower can always find a unique product to produce. Even the tried and tested assortments include varieties and unique products that allow you to differentiate yourself in the marketplace.

Existing companies in our industry wage a continuous war with many casualties. Established companies loose this ferocious battle and have to close their doors. Of the top ten Dutch floral wholesalers from 25 years ago, the last survivor was Florimex who went bankrupt last year.

It is not easy to change your company at the same pace that economic laws force you to.

Existing companies still rely on business models that were only successful in the past. Who has to change such companies?

A few years ago, many horticulturists took out loans to invest in the housing market. Then real estate prices dropped dramatically, reaching levels far below the investment or loan.

Capitalism is a terrible system but, as we learned the hard way, there are no better alternatives.

Jaap N. Kras jaap@floracultureinternational.com

April 2014 | www.FloraCulture.eu

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Morocco Dutch flower exporter De JetSet BV and former New York-based floral wholesaler Dick Houtenbos have teamed up to jointly market Moroccogrown peonies on the international marketplace.

Moroccan peonies to conquer international cut flower market T

by Ron van der Ploeg and Maria Starodubrovskaya

he driving forces behind the peony project are Driss El Hadji (De JetSet BV), Anasse Al Omani and Dick Houtenbos (Doublewood Peonies), three visionary entrepreneurs who saw a great opportunity for growing peonies in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

In 2010, in-depth market research resulted in the set-up of Atlas Peonies sàrl. which was granted

financial support by the Dutch ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Just like in Asia, Southern Europe and Western North America, there are wild peonies in Northwest Africa, so growing these flowers in Morocco was only a logical decision.

Furthermore, peony production in this Northern African nation allows to extend the sales season.

Driss, ”Normally, peony varieties are available as fresh cut flowers for 2 to 4 weeks, however, natural environmental conditions allow to extend their availability to 2 to 3 months.”

Customers

The company’s fifty plus seasonal workers start harvesting in the first week of April.

www.FloraCulture.eu | April 2014

The main customers for Atlas peonies are wholesalers from the USA (basically New York and the Northeast megalopolis), Russia, Middle Eastern countries and the Netherlands, where part of the production is sold at the Dutch auction while the rest goes directly to Dutch customers.

Moreover, peonies are sold locally in Morocco.

In the future, Driss believes the amount of locally sold fresh flowers will reach 10-15% of the total production . Currently, about 30% of the peonies go to the Netherlands, while 40%, 15% and 15% are destined for the US market, Russia and the Middle East respectively.

Advanced crop

Commenting on the peak sales season for peonies’, Driss said that the company’s fifty plus seasonal workers started harvesting in the first week of April. “So unfortunately, we don’t have fresh flowers on Valentine’s Day, nor on International Women’s Day, which takes place on 8 March.”

One of the benefits of growing peonies in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains is that plants produce an advanced crop. Driss, “Our production schedules are designed to be at market earlier than the Dutch growers. Therefore, different cultivars were experimentally tested at different altitudes (500

to 2000 metres), while carefully observing and recording the plants’ performance. Finally, when all climate and soil conditions were assessed, the team of Atlas Peonies selected the farm plots for early, middle and late production (AprilJune). Located within a 50km radius of each other, the four fields cover an area of 7,5ha with a 8ha expansion planned for this year.

This will result in an annual output of 300,000 to 500,000 stems. This spring , Atlas Peonies’ first mayor harvest is expected to yield around 350,000 stems.

Growing techniques

Driss grows about 60 different varieties of peonies. When asked about growing techniques and conditions, he said, “Before planting, Bllg AgroXpertus tests soil samples for the presence of nematodes and determines the organic matter levels. Fertilizer recommendations are provided to reduce the effect of nematodes on plant growth and yield.”

Atlas Peonies has opted for sowing green manure Lucerne Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) as this is the perfect organic fertilizer. According to Driss they improve soil structure, suppress weeds and revitalise the soil naturally by ‘fixing’ nitrogen

into the soil. “We have sown the deep-rooted Lucerne Alfalfa to bring nutrients and an airy structure to the subsoil. When harvested it is used as cattle feed. The remaining 15-20cm stalks including the roots are left in the soil which are dug into the top layer where it decomposes. ” In situ, wells were drilled for the supply of fresh water which is distributed through a drip system which allows to maintain an ideal moisture level in the soil.

Peonies relish cold winters, because they need chilling for bud formation. Therefore , crops that are grown at lower altitudes are covered with a layer of straw to avoid sunlight penetration and extend the dormancy cycle.

varieties. He said that real peony experts will immediately recognise whether the flowers are from Morocco or Israel, while ordinary people wouldn’t see the difference.

Israeli peony growers need cold storage facilities to extend the sales season as the number of different climatic zones and altitudes are limited.

Following this interview, Driss was about to fly to Morocco to see the work in progress, also regarding the MPS A certification. This coveted certification was presented to him while being in his native country. |||

Logistics

In terms of logistics, there are several steps that fresh flowers are going through. Firstly, the flowers are harvested and put in a truck where the temperature is around 1°C .

Upon arrival in the warehouse, the peonies are directly water-stored.

Later, flowers are packed in boxes containing bunches of 5 to 10 stems each and then stored. Direct flights to the USA, Russia, Holland and the Middle East take the peonies immediately to the wholesalers.

The whole process from the field to the final consumer takes about 48 hours.

When asked about the shipping costs by plane, Driss said that there are special airfreight rates for flights between Morocco and the USA and that these are much cheaper when compared to Israel, their competitor in growing early flowering peonies.

Atlas Mountains The Atlas mountains stretch for 1,200 miles from the Atlantic port of Agadir to the Tunisian capital, Tunis. But Morocco is arguably where the Atlas range is at its most interesting. Within Morocco, the Atlas is divided into several parallel ranges - the Anti, Middle and High Atlas. Of these, the High Atlas attracts most visitors, many of whom come to climb Jbel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa at 4,167m.

Source: Richard Knight, The Independent.

Morocco versus Israel

Driss El Hadji.

Speaking of Israel, Driss stressed that he doesn’t consider Israeli growers as strong competitors because they produce different

When all climate and soil conditions were assessed, Atlas Peonies selected the farm plots for early, middle and late production (April-June).

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South Africa To become better acquainted with the Protea farmers and their farms, my wife and I travelled to South Africa where the CEO of FynBloem, Mr. Beyers and his business partner Mr. Larsen were so kind to offer us a behind-thescenes look on the Bloemenkraal Landgoed (estate) in Riviersonderend, South Africa.

Fynbloem farm gives Protea sector an enormous boost L

by Jaap N. Kras

ast year we were offered a new book for review. This was a publication that I was really glad to read as ‘Protea Cultivation: From Concept to Carton’ by Gerhard Malan is the indispensable guide for every Protea professional.

Sylvia

www.FloraCulture.eu | April 2014

The main commercial Protea products, including variety descriptions and photos, can be found in Dr Malan’s book. A technical review of the book and contact details to purchase a copy from the author can be found on the website of the

International Protea Association (www.ipa-protea.org).

Working at Stellebosch University – where he also received his PhD Malan is a professional researcher with many years of practical experience in Protea cultivation.

Fynbloem provides flowers with a feel good factor.

Pink Ice

Crop scouting.

Protea sales Many Proteas (Source: PPSA production and export estimate 2013) are sold as bouquets, mixed or mono bouquets.

Production facilities

Protea is the popular name for more than 1400 species from 60 genera which grow in South Africa, Australia and South America. The most important cultivars can be found in the Protea Cultivation: Proteaceae, Leucadendron and Leucospermum families.

Over the past few years, an increasing number of professional growers are planting hybrid species and varieties to enable profitable farming, relying on high yields, uniform production and excellent vase life.

The newly build FynBloem Protea farm deserves special mention.

Their owners, Mr. Beyers and Mr. Larsen, met in 2009 and decided to set up FynBloem with one very ambitious goal: to build the most

In 2012, South African growers exported nearly 3 million stems with Protea ‘Barbigera/ Magnifica’ (400.000 stems), Protea ‘Pink Ice’ (250.000 stems), Protea ‘Coronata’ (275.000 stems) and Protea ‘Sylvia’ (260.000 stems) being the most popular varieties In 2013, Protea exports increased to 3,5 million stems and ‘Barbigera /Magnifica’( 650.000 sold stems) performed best.

Meanwhile, the exports of Leucadendron varieties such as ‘Safari Sunset’, ‘Rosette’ and ‘Discolor’ accounted for 6 million stems in 2012.

In 2013 the expected growth for Leucadendron was 6.6 million stems.

The production of Leucospermum is also expanding.

Here topseller ‘Succession’leads the pack with 6,3 million stems sold in 2012 to 8,1 million stems in 2013.

Other important products are cut foliage (11 million stems) and ornamental grasses (2.2 million stems).

successful production facility for Proteas in South Africa.

“In order to achieve this,“ explained Mr. Beyers, “we concentrated the production, harvest and packaging activities in a single location which specialises in export ready products.”

He added, “Besides good production facilities, maintenance of temperature control is vital when dealing with Proteas. That’s why we decide to build a state-of-the-art cold storage facility and packing area and offices which were completed in July of last year.”

Soil preparations

A sunny, well-drained site is essential for growing good crops of Proteas. “We carefully prepared the

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South Africa

A state-of-the-art cold storage facility, packing area and offices were completed in July of last year.

Cold storage facility.

soil before planting the cuttings -taken from our own mother plants to reduce the risk of diseases,” outlined Mr. Beyers.

The Riviersonderend river provides fresh water for irrigation. ”We have an irrigation permit for 90 ha of land. We opted for a drip irrigation system, and deep ripping of the soil was necessary to install the drainage system. Rock and excavation debris were used as construction material,” explained Mr. Beyers.

Export markets

Mr Laurits Larsen (pictured left) stresses that getting flowers produced, sorted, packed and ready for distribution is all about teamwork and communication.

www.FloraCulture.eu | April 2014

FynBloem aims for a year-round supply of Proteas, which are sold on the domestic market where they enjoy good popularity as a cut flower. The majority of the flowers, however, are destined for export markets of the European Union. So far, exports to the USA and Japan is challenging as the flowers are considered a risk pathway for the spread of pests.

When it comes to transportation, customers of FynbBloem can rest assured they are getting the very

Fynbloem’s CEO, Mr. Beyers.

best services by air or sea. The company is leading the way with temperature-controlled reefer solutions, whilst ensuring there is no sacrifice when it comes to the quality of the flowers.

Thanks to companies such as FynBloem, the Protea industry is modernising, and production is increasingly reliable and professional. It is anticipated that modern companies of this type will give the Protea sector an enormous boost. |||

Fynbloem’s general manager Plantations, Noah Chinyanga.

Cuttings are taken from own mother plants to reduce the risk of diseases.

PPSA and SAPPEX join forces The South African Protea Producers and Exporters Association (SAPPEX) and the Protea Producers of South Africa (PPSA) announced on March 7, 2014 that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement that would result in the combination of their organisations. The merged association, to be called CAPE FLORA SA, will be headquartered in Paarl, South Africa. The merger is a combination of the oldest and most respected names in the Protea business.

The necessary amendments to the constitution for the merger of PPSA and SAPPEX are being made. Essentially PPSA will be used as a “vehicle” and the name, objectives and composition of the board will be adjusted. SAPPEX will be terminated and the remaining funds and logo of the new entity will be transferred.

The amendments were approved at a special AGM and it was decided to use the opportunity to link a field day (at the FynBloem Protea Farm Packhouse facility) as well as a Joint Marketing Forum (JMF).

The goal of the merger is to create an enabling environment to unlock and maximise tangible benefits for all stakeholders in a unified Fynbos value chain for all its stakeholders in a continuously changing global environment.

Objectives

• To promote market access and demand for ornamental Cape Flora.

• To investigate and resolve phytosanitary and other trade barriers in order to increase the SA industry’s

competitiveness in the global floral market.

• To preserve and protect ornamental Cape Flora bio-diversity.

• To promote social and environmental sustainability amongst members.

• To support and implement Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment initiatives.

• To identify, maintain and capacitate a long-term strategy to support relevant production and market research.

• To support human capital and skills development throughout the industry value chain.

• To collect and share relevant industry information aligned with conditions of appropriate legislation.

• To establish uniform grading and other relevant industry regulations.

• To liaise with the Dept of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, other Government Departments and industries.

• To promote communication between members.

• In general to undertake all such activities which may be required to improve and enhance the interests of industry stakeholders.

The South African Protea Producers and Exporters Association (SAPPEX) was established as a non-profit organization in 1965 under the name SAWGRA (S.A. Wild Flower Growers Association). The name was changed to SAPPEX in 1974.

The Association aims to represent all South African producers and exporters of Proteaceae and other floral materials originating from the South African indigenous flora, and to further their interest. SAPPEX is not a marketing organization and deals mainly with policy and other matters regarding the industry. Its focus in all actions is to place the interest of the Industry first.

The Protea Producers of South Africa (PPSA), is a non-profit company (NPC) established in 2005 with the purpose of identifying and addressing the strategic needs of the fynbos and protea industry. Their vision is to bring about a sustainable increase in the demand for, and supply of, high value/high quality fynbos products to discerning international markets to the benefit of all role players in the South African fynbos industry. |||

April 2014 | www.FloraCulture.eu

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Brazil This month, the reverse auction system*of Veiling Holambra completes 25 years of activity in Brazil. The vision of flower and plant producers in the late 1980s who wanted an effective tool to market their products has, in two decades, become a benchmark for the Brazilian flower and plant market.

Cooperativa Veiling Holambra celebrates its silver jubilee

T

he implementation of the Klok in Holambra marked a new era by bringing development to the entire marketing and production chain of ornamental flowers and plants in Brazil. With the new system, new techniques, practices and flower varieties arrived, attracting professionals and companies that settled in the region and further boosted the market.

3 April 1989

by our own correspondents

The first auction in Holambra was held on April 3, 1989, when a group of ornamental flower and plant producers from the first Cooperativa Agropecuรกria Holambra (CAPH), decided to auction their products on a reverse basis.

Producers were going through a difficult sales period and saw this process as a way to sell their products. Another factor that greatly influenced this decision was the fact that those producers had already experienced the process in the Netherlands.

The first auctions were held in a very simple way: a loud count-up

The first Veiling auction, held on April 3, 1989.

Paulo Reijers, the son of a producer, acted as auctioneer, counting down aloud. The first item to be sold at auction was a flower arrangement prepared by Alfredo Tilli, one of the first flower artists to develop professional courses in Brazil.

www.FloraCulture.eu | April 2014

Test centre for post-harvest and quality control.

and cards with numbers were raised by customers to indicate the bids. Although it started in an improvised way, participants soon realised that the system was a good solution to sell their products, and in a short time, more producers and customers adopted this business model; thus, the flower and plant industry in Brazil began to experience continuous development.

During the following years, the auction became an essential tool for the growth of the market in Brazil.

It often set the pace of progress in this industry, causing logistics and other methods to be adapted or created in order to meet the demands of the system.

Klok

The trajectory of Cooperativa Veiling Holambra (CVH) is no doubt marked by the introduction of Klok (auction clock). Strengthened by the sales system, the cooperative expanded, and its efficiency also promoted great changes in the entire process of selling and trading ornamental flowers and plants.

Administrative, technological and logistic resources were implemented throughout the supply chain for this tool to work satisfactorily for First bids in the Veiling system.

Customers raised numbered cards to make their bids, and many onlookers attended to see how the auction worked.

The auction hall operating with two clocks. The assembly of the Digital Klok in 1997 added speed and flexibility to the system, the desks gained a new ally: an electronic panel to support more trades. The second clock, installed four years later, allowed a better adjustment of the auction by classifying the products into categories: flower and plants in vases and cut products.

both its members and customers.

In 2009, CVH took another important step by opening its new headquarters. With a specially planned structure, the modern complex houses a similar infrastructure to the state of the art one in the perishable goods industry worldwide, including air conditioning in all areas and a fully computerised trading system.

40% share in domestic market The role of auctioneer required a firm voice, attention, and speed of calculation. The lamp system added agility and clarity to the bids. In order to minimise doubts, a tape recorder was used to record the bids; customers often asked to rewind the tape to have the concrete ‘evidence’ of the sale.

Currently, Cooperative Veiling Holambra holds over a 40% share in the domestic market of ornamental flowers and plants.

Its auction room hosts on average more than 300 customers daily.

The arrival of the 1st Klok, donated by Veiling from Bemmel to Veiling Holambra. The assembly of the Klok in 1991 required patience and adaptation of the system for its proper operation. Some employees who participated in this implementation still work for the cooperative now.

With three electronic Kloks, CVH trades on average 3,000 carts a day in its auctions, the products being distributed to all regions of Brazil.

Holambra’s auction room is one of the most modern in the world, with a huge 68 sq.m. LED panel, the only Veiling to have this resource complete.

In addition to the traditional sales system, CVH recently implemented

>>>

Panoramic view of the interior yard.

The analogue Klok, donated by Veiling Bemmel, operated from 1991 to 1997. Today, it is on display in the entrance hall of the Cooperative Veiling Holambra. Francisco Bongers, the then director of Veiling Holambra, closely monitored the first auctions held at the new rostrum by welcoming the customers.

April 2014 | www.FloraCulture.eu

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Brazil The modern rostrum operates with three Kloks.

The LED display was a great step forward, allowing CVH to occupy a prominent position among the world’s most modern Veilings.

ever-growing domestic demand.

CVH no doubt has the pioneering spirit and courage to meet new challenges that marked the arrival of the first migrants to the Holambra region. The Brazilian market provides a favourable trade scenario and responds very well to the stimuli to which it is subjected.

Certainly much more is to come in the next 25 years.  ||| * also dubbed Dutch auction which begins with a high bid and keeps decreasing it until someone presses the "buy" button. another trading tool, Veiling Online, which allows producers and customers to use the remote sales resource to speed up and streamline their trades. Another technology to be introduced this year is radio frequency identification (RFID). This development will provide greater security to the control of handling materials (returnable containers, carts and partitions) and will facilitate the logistics processes. It directly contributes to the internal

Aerial view of the new Veiling Holambra Complex opened in 2009. As the plan was developed in phases, spaces were used in each step of its construction, serving to provide logistics support to the products traded by the mediation department or to store handling materials (carts, partitions and returnable containers).

The plan was completed in less than five years.

www.FloraCulture.eu | April 2014

efficiency and productivity and significantly reduces the product shipping and delivery times, since road transportation is still predominant in Brazil.

Commemorative book

In order to celebrate and tell the complete successful story of this unique sales tool, Cooperative Veiling Holambra is preparing a commemorative book about the 25 years of Klok in Brazil.

In addition to providing information on the period and the development achieved by CVH, the book talks about the beginning of the flower and plant production in Holambra, the challenges and difficulties faced by the pioneers and how the market evolved.

It also talks a little about the future and the next steps of the cooperative; its projects and plans and especially the launch of Gran Flora Veiling Holambra, a new trading concept to be implemented in the CVH Complex by mid-June this year.

Though not well known in Brazil, cash and carry store Gran Flora will allow the flower and plant market to be better served by centralising a greater product mix, accessories and materials at a single location, exclusively dedicated to meeting the

Aerial view of Veiling in 1996, the cooperative advanced by leaps and bounds. Despite the expansions in the following years, the limited space continued to cause restrictions; it was evident and necessary to have a plan designed to meet both current and future needs. Everyone was already speaking of constructing a new Veiling.

Veiling Market trade fair, held twice a year, to bring customers and producers closer. A great opportunity to share market information.

World News

by William Armellini

United States

Shoelaces

Flower farmers face globalisation’s perils Cheap flower imports from Colombia and Ecuador have had a detrimental effect on domestic US flora growers over the last five years, but business will probably recover somewhat, predicts leading market research firm IBISWorld.

The American plant and flower industry – which employs about 212.000 people – is looking back on five discouraging years. The influx of cheap flower imports from Latin America has decreased industry revenue at an average annual rate of 1% in the five years to 2014 (to $14.9 billion). Droughts further worsened the situation in 2012, negatively affecting harvest volume as well as product quality.

“In the five years to 2014, the number of establishments is anticipated to fall at an average annual rate of 1.2% [..], reflecting the industry's myriad struggles”, IBISWorld indicates. Those struggles include dampened consumer demand as a result of the recession, as well as large retailers taking over a good portion of the retail market for flowers and nursery items.

Additionally, improvements in transportation have allowed large farms, which can afford to ship items cross-country, to establish themselves as the main countrywide suppliers. These retailers can offer better prices and greater product variety than their smaller, regional competitors.

IBISWorld expects that industry revenue will fall 2.1% in 2014, due to continuing weak demand and import competition. Although the US economy is no longer in a recession, weak discretionary spending will continue to dampen flower sales.

Significant government support to offset these factors remains unlikely.

Revenue will rebound slightly through 2019, IBISWorld predicts, although duty free imports from abroad will continue to put pressure on prices.

Genetically modified plant seeds may turn out to be a lifesaver, but opposition to the technology leaves the industry's future uncertain for now.

Small, family-run operations with little in the way of permanent staff continue to dominate the floriculture industry. Producers typically only supplement their own labor with seasonal hired labor. Although consolidation is increasing the number of large-scale producers, there are no companies with a dominant market share. |||

Miami

I realise that my columns often have nothing to do with flowers, as I tend to write more about what's on my mind rather than dream up something about flowers just to be relevant.

For some time now I have been wondering why shoemakers put extralong shoelaces on their products. If you look down at your feet and are wearing sneakers then you are likely to have employed one or more techniques to prevent you from tripping over your extra-long shoe laces.

There are many options: • Tie a really long bow • Tie a double knot (bow) • Loop one time around your ankles • Cut them (but now they are too short) • Tuck the extra length into your shoe I have tried all of the above with limited success and continue to trip over my laces while cursing the manufacturer. I decided to do a little research since I am sure I am not the only one with this problem. My assumption was that these are extra-long, multi-coloured laces were for the boys who wear their shoes wide open, and never tied, to maintain that certain look.

These are the same style-challenged characters that like wearing their pants so low that they defy gravity. There was some consensus for this theory from the younger folks I polled.

But, of course, like any respectable researcher I went to the ultimate authority for the real story: Google. It turns out that there are some valid reasons and some good tips on how to deal with these Medusa-like creatures.

Based on the search results, the main reason for the existence of long laces is simply to reduce the number of laces that a company has to stock for the various shoe styles it sells. Longer laces fit them all! Then there are number of tying techniques that reduce the length by using up more lace thus shortening them.

For people like me, who get to the point that they can't handle tying them over and over and cut them in a rage (normally too short) there is a solution, since cutting them means the nice tidy sealed ends are lost and therefore no longer fit though a lace hole. The good news is that they sell replacements called ‘aglets’ for those inclined to fix things. The best solution was posted on YouTube (another source of everything you need to know) where a woman demonstrates how to use that extra hole at the top of the sneaker that you always wondered about. Rather than trying to explain this technique I will defer to the maker. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=2GsT1Qf3Ozg I hope this topic helps you manage your shoes better so you do not trip and fall on your flowers.

Remember to tie your laces. Miami is hot!

William Armellini. Editor Flowersandcents.com Williee@williee.com

April 2014 | www.FloraCulture.eu

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Breeding and propagation Brandkamp, an expert in breeding and propagation of chrysanthemums and bedding plants, places a strong emphasis on constant innovation to meet the changing needs of its international customers. They demand ever faster growth, pest and disease resistance and plants that maintain maximum performance, shelf life, uniformity, reliability and consumer appeal.

Success blooms at Brandkamp

B

enefiting from the then granted government support for new entrants to horticulture, the young Hubert Brandkamp started his Siedlungsbetrieb (literally translated ‘settlement company’), with a modest 1,000m2 under glass in 1960, offering local customers a diverse range of Chrysanthemum and Fuchsia cuttings.

Today, Brandkamp GmbH Jungpflanzenvertrieb grows 42,000m2 of mums and bedding plants and produces in excess of 50 million young plants annually.

The business has its base in Isselburg-Anholt, north-west Germany and is still in the family's hands, led by Hubert Brandkamp Jr., the eldest of four children, and his wife Silvia.

Global industry

by Ron van der Ploeg

Horticulture is a global industry especially where Brandkamp is concerned. Its extensive young plant production glasshouses and polytunnels are nearby, but much of the starting material is sourced from Kenya and Uganda. Here, employees harvest Elite-certified mother plants for cuttings.

More generally speaking one can say that the German young plant suppliers such as Brandkamp are among the pioneers of production of healthy and disease-free quality material meeting the national quality standard EPPO. From the young stages of tender seedlings, plugs and cuttings, a directly-employed workforce of 30 experienced and dedicated nurserymen (70 are seasonally workers) use their skills and experience to produce robust, quality plants that provide endless enjoyment all season long. For acclimatisation, reducing transport costs and environmental impact,

www.FloraCulture.eu | April 2014

the final stage of growing is carried out in Germany.

Brandkamp’s young plants go to countries across Europe, while the German grower continues to cash in on his global reputation for premium quality Chrysanthemums. In Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and China, the original homelands of the Chrysanthemum, Brandkamp has managed to become a household name among Chrysanthemum growers.

Nice balance

As much as 50% of Brandkamp’s production is sold in the domestic

Company founder Hubert Brandkamp and his son and current company owner Hubert Brandkamp jr.

Head of Brandkamp breeding Josef Tetiedt.

mania and Bulgaria have opened following the appointment of new agents over the past few years.

Pioneer Brandkamp’s trial gardens at Isselburg-Anholt, Germany, are used to evaluate bedding plants for landscaper and home owner use.

market, according to Jürgen von den Driesch, who is not a real member of the founding family, but a long time employee (30 years of service) and one of the most recognisable faces at Brandkamp’s.

Von den Driesch, who described Germany as ‘very important for us’, and ‘stable’ in volume, said that the company prides itself on having a nice balance between domestic sales and exports.

German-speaking countries such as Switzerland and Austria rank among the traditional export destinations while Eastern European markets such as Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Ro-

Company founder Hubert always wanted to be a pioneer and find new ways of doing things.

Such was the case in 1966 when he set out to change the geography of Chrysanthemum production by being one of the first to grow and import cuttings from Italy.

In the 1990s, the same strong aspirations to develop his business as an

Brandkamp has earned a reputation for its ball-shaped Multiflora garden mums. Pictured is ‘Branfountain White’.

international player made Hubert Brandkamp forge a partnership with the Czech Republic, where Bohemia Seeds has been Brandkamp’s agent for many years.

January 2012 marked the beginning of another international business alliance when Brandkamp partnered with Denmark -based Nordic Ornamentals (a division of Gasa Young Plants) to drive and expand the sales of its already successful line of seed-raised ornamentals.

The agreement allowed Brandkamp to add more cut flowers to its already already extensive assortment of seed grown products.

“This cooperation was a big step for both companies”, said Jürgen von den Driesch. He added, “With the extension of our assortment we are able to comprehensively serve our clients and expand our distribution channels in medium term.”

Flagship product

Currently, Brandkamp’s extensive product range of over 700 varieties includes Chrysanthemum, bedding and patio plants. Occupying pride

>>>

April 2014 | www.FloraCulture.eu

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Breeding and propagation Brand(kamp) new Being hailed as the company’s latest breeding breakthrough in Chrysanthemum is the Luzon series which is available in five bold colours.

Luzon mums are said to make one of the best indoor pot mums, highly suited for colour mixes, as plants branch easily and fill a pot fast.

Luzon opens its buds slowly and continues to impress with its uniform and compact plant habit and boldly coloured blooms .

Regarding cut Chrysanthemums, Brandkamp enjoys a strong demand from the more traditional grower, showing a preference for the company’s late Vienna varieties (‘Vienna Cream’ and ‘Vienna White’), which are also suited for pot production (although they require substantial use of PGRs). Among the company’s novelties for cut flower production rank the spray variety ‘Seoul White’ (big, double flowers) ‘Sheng’ (yellow, very floriferous), ‘Guzeng’ (excellent red colour which in mum breeding is quite a challenge).

Colourful mix of Luzon blooms.

Disbudded Chrysanthemum ‘Vienna White’.

www.FloraCulture.eu | April 2014

Brandperfect Mix.

of place is the company’s flagship product: Chrysanthemum.

Brandkamp Chrysanthemums are known not only by industry professionals but by almost everybody who has an interest in pot mums. For example, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic but also Asian countries host hundreds of pot mum growers. In these countries, Brandkamp has earned a reputation for its ball-shaped Multiflora garden mums.

Especially the Branbird line in white, yellow and orange receives Brandkamp’s focus is on ownbreeding lines to create more independence.

fulsome praise from growers for being beautifully rounded, uniform, early and easy to grow and sell.

The Branbird along with the Branfountain, Branice and Branperfect series were one of the first no pinch, naturally free-branching plants that form bushy mounds, smothered with so many flowers that the foliage gets almost totally obscured. They offer long lasting blooms that will go on and on until the first frost, they fit any size container and

Commitment to the industry

make great mixed colour planters (Multiflora tricolore or Bran Mixes featuring, for example, mixes of 3x Branroyal Yellow, Branroyal Pink and Branroyal Purple or 3x Branfountain White, Branfountain Yellow and Branfountain Pink).

Brandkamp now offers over 70 Multiflora varieties with excellent customer service. Von den Driesch: ”We really care for our customers.

Our sales representatives and international agents in over 30 countries visit their customers at least once a year. Brandkamp provides total crop support, from planning to year-end review and is always on hand to discuss technical issues.”

Own breeding

Over the years, Brandkamp evolved from grower and propagator to a modern breeding company with its own tissue culture laboratory.

“Overall, our focus is on ownbreeding lines to create more independence, as an increasing amount of breeders are using their license as a kind of weapon in the market,” said Von den Driesch. He continued, “Own breeding also helps to expand our product range to offer our customers the widest variety of choice.”

The first lines from its own Chrysanthemum breeding entered the market in 1994, while five years later the company launched its own breed of bedding and patio plants.

Speaking of bedding plants, Brand (kamp) new are the Calimero series of Calibrachoa. Calimero Calibrachoas bloom with a profusion of white, lemon, bright pink, cherry, blue, pink, orange and coral red. Their trumpet-shaped and yellow-throated flowers last over a long period.

Calimeros have a more limited colour range than Brandkamp Marisco Petunias (created in 2008 and now offered in over 16 colours and a mix), but have finer textured foliage, a more pronounced trailing habit and abundant single flowers.

Brandkamp’s Jollies brand represents compact, free-flowering Fuchsias and deserves special mention. Jollies Fuchsias are named after French towns, including the new white 'Jollies Metz' and the dark-leaved ‘Jollies Paris’, which is claimed to be earlier flowering, better branched and more compact than similar competitors. The entire Jollies family contains bushy plants with plenty of flowers on the top and make excellent trough and patio pot plants.

Jürgen von den Driesch, one of the most recognisable faces at Brandkamp’s.

Meanwhile, Von den Driesch credits Brandkamp’s long history and unusually strong commitment to the industry. Company founder Hubert Brandkamp Sr., for example, had a great impact on the Fachgruppe Jungpflanzen (FGJ), the German association of young plant producers.

Brandkamp Sr. received the Gold Pin Award for his leadership, vision and commitment as chairman of the FGJ, a task which he has fulfilled for many years.

Von den Driesch thinks it is important for young plant producers to continually educate themselves throughout the FGJ membership.

“Regular circulars and mailing lists keep members informed about the new EU plant health law, current topics, important dates and events.

We all need to be attending the trade shows and walking each other’s trial grounds. That’s why we attach great importance to the Flower Trials event and our annual Chrysanthemum Days at the end of October. On both occasions new and market-leading varieties are on show. In addition, customers can also view tests of flowering bedding plant varieties in our trial garden at our headquarters in Isselburg-Anholt, which is open from May to September. The trial gardens are used each year to evaluate bedding plants for landscaper and home owner use.” |||

For more details visit www.brandkamp.de

The dark-leaved ‘Jollies Paris’ is claimed to be earlier flowering, better branched and more compact than similar competitors.

April 2014 | www.FloraCulture.eu

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World News

Certifiable in California

Russia APPM holds its annual conference

After IPM, back to the moment

Hundreds of nursery stock growers and other industry stakeholders gathered from all over Russia as the Russian Nursery Stock Association (APPM) held its annual conference at hotel Planernoye in Novogorsk, Moscow, February 6-7, 2014.

I won’t bore everyone to tears with in in-depth review of IPM Essen; no doubt some poor schmuck at some publication or other got stuck with that assignment already ;-) . However, I should submit that having heard so much about this show over so many years, my expectations going in were sky high…. and….(drum roll please) I have to say I was pretty impressed. Great show, so much to see, so little time to see it all.

Since its inception in 2008, the APPM conference has evolved into one of the most significant nursery stock events in Russia, bringing people from the green sector together, including growers, landscape designers, hardware suppliers, horticultural institutes and schools and trade press. The 2014 conference, which was a huge success, held many events for the information and education of the association’s members.

The Moscow-based APPM, the driving force behind the event, is a professional association dedicated to serving Russia’s nursery stock industry through education, training and general industry information resources. The APPM is a most effective and continuously expanding organisation for nurseries and companies whose activities are connected with the nursery stock industry. In 2013, APPM’s membership consisted of 109 nurseries from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and 28 associated members. The 2014 conference welcomed six new members.

This year, approximately 40 reports were presented on many subjects of interest to attendees. The papers corresponding to all the presentations have been archived in a catalogue which was handed out to all participants.

On the stage there was also room for debating the current state of the economy , new technologies, bookmark nurseries, pest management and the latest developments on the international marketplace.

The 2-day event offered great learning opportunities and many new business contacts were established.

According to garden centre retailers and landscape architects who were present the share of domestic sales in the nursery stock business every year increases. This means that competition between companies will increase.

APPM also announced its ‘Gardens and People’ festival which will be held in Moscow's Sokolniki Park, from June 19 to 29, 2014. |||

A couple things stand out…the free espresso in Hall Italia….wow!!!! Sure cure for jet lag, and you couldn’t beat the price… Aside from that, just the sheer number of exhibitors and the great level of creativity. (In my opinion, the US , though improving, is still years behind the European market in terms of product presentation and delivery.) Only downside…no bitterballen…

(I know, different country and all, but good things should transcend borders.)

by John Ingwersen

I checked the calendar this morning and it said the date was 16 March. This triggered a serious Twilight Zone moment, because it seemed like the last thing I remembered doing was Christmas shopping. I suppose this is the net effect of 50,000+ air miles, 3 continents, 100,000 Plumeria cuttings, and one IPM Essen in about an 7 week span. Whew….

Back to the current moment… California, spring, 2014. A very dry winter… very dry. Scary dry. Did I say dry…? We had one substantial rainfall between November and March, and at this point the rainy season is essentially over. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out water restrictions are coming next year. So much for increasing my bamboo production…

Aside from that minor detail, all things point to a positive 2014. My biggest problems right now are related to inventory, i.e., not enough of it. The fallout of the extended recession is finally coming home to roost in a serious way. Fewer growers + less product + improving demand = product shortages + improving prices. If I wasn’t so concerned about having enough to sell I’d be almost giddy.

It’s been a long, long, long time since a grower had any leverage with customers.

I’m not alone in this perception; most of my peers that I’ve talked to are feeling the same. It’s actually kind of funny; we all saw this scenario coming but now that’s it here we are a little unsure of how to respond. It’s a seismic shift in terms of production and sales strategies, and the types of problems one faces.

No more layoffs… now you can’t find labor, and costs are increasing rapidly (thanks in no small part to the political quagmire in the US getting in the way of meaningful immigration reform). Container, materials , and transportation suppliers are also putting through price increases, after pretty much holding the line for years. Can’t blame them, we’ve all been in the same boat.

Bottom line, it’s gonna be an easy year to sell plants, assuming you’re fortunate enough to have them in the first place. Somewhere, somehow, some way, I’m sure Joseph Heller is smiling…

John Ingwersen graduated with a degree in marketing from Georgetown University in 1990, and founded Jungle Jack’s, Inc. in 1995. sales@junglejacksthailand.com

April 2014 | www.FloraCulture.eu

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Belgium The Florall Spring Fair is Belgium’s most important horticultural trade fair exclusively for industry professionals. The 2014 event was held from March 4 to 5 at Flanders Expo, a central and prestigious facility that is accessible to everyone from the Ghent area and outlying regions.

This edition hosted more than 150 stands with great companies to meet in person!

Florall: new plant sales season appears promising

E

stablished in 2007, the Florall trade fair is held twice a year, in spring and fall, in a high quality trade show approach.

Aimed at promoting the horticultural business in a dynamic and proactive environment, the fair attracts growers, buyers, technical suppliers, garden retailers, and plant brokers from across Belgium and – to a lesser extent - abroad.

Over the years, Florall evolved into a commercial meeting point for growers of ornamental plants and cut flowers, salesmen of floricultural and arboricultural products, important suppliers of horticultural products and so on.

Modeling Smits-Asia’s tree peonies is Jan Smits.

Balmy temperatures

by Ron van der Ploeg and Maria Starodubrovskaya

Last year, many parts of Europe experienced the coldest spring in 50 years. So, at Florall it was music to everyone's ears to hear that the sun was set to come out - bringing mild temperatures of 18°C. With spring only two weeks away, the overall feeling was of great anticipation and exhibitors were eager to share their stories and their latest products. We talked with grower Dirk Talpe of Bloemisterij Talpe, Wervik, Belgium who specialises in a wide range of high value specialty perennials and patio plants such as Garvinea, Dianthus ‘Velvet’ and Dianthus ‘Pink Kisses’, Limonium

‘Salt Lake’ (butterfly magnet) and Calynopsis.

An absolute showstopper was their double-flowered Zantedeschia aethiopica ‘White Swan’. Lush, peculiar and exotic, ‘White Swans’ make ideal cut flowers and patio plants.

Talpe’s Calynopsis, a Calceolaria for outdoors and sale in early spring, is another visually attractive plant, which made its debut on the German market last year. It suffered sluggish sales as most of Europe was repeatedly being hit by

The FLORALL award winners Award

Name

Genus name

Cultivar Name

Company

Gold

Prunus Crimson Pointe

Prunus ceracifera

Crimson Pointe

Boweco

Silver

Helleborus Magic Picotee

Helleborus orientalis x hybridus

Magic Picotee

Het Wilgenbroek

Bronze

Concept Mix of Passion

www.FloraCulture.eu | April 2014

Plantcare

cold conditions keeping customers away from garden centres. For this year, however, Bloemisterij Talpe expects a much stronger demand for Calynopsis.

Bloemisterij Talpe is a family business run by husband and wife team Dirk and Patricia Talpe. They are growing 0,5ha greenhouse, 1ha of container grown production and 1,5 ha field production of pot mums. Their main customers are mostly smaller specialty garden centres within a 300 km radius, including some clients in Northern France. Adherence to good practices in terms of product treatment is vital, emphasised Dirk.

“We focus on environmentally friendly production, with no use of pesticides and our greenhouses are heated with willow wood. All our plants are MPS A certified.”

Tree peonies

The other company which caught our attention was Smits-Asia BV. They offered Florall-goers trolley deals of mixed tree peony varieties, both sourced in Japan (stand-

Ann Devriese-Vermeire and daughter.

ard grafted varieties) and China (grafted and non-grafted material).

The company’s co-owner is Jan Smits, a remarkable businessman as he speaks Chinese. He explained that the grafted specimens, which are grown on herbaceous peony rootstock, make vigorous, healthy plants with sturdy stems that transport well.

Their annual output is 300,000 plants sold per year direct and indirect trade via reefer containers.

Smits-Asia B.V. is a joint enterprise of the Smits brothers, Jan and Kees, who have been nurserymen for many years. In the 1990s they

Modeling Bloemisterij Talpe’s new Zantedeschia aethiopica ‘White Swan’ are husband and wife team Dirk and Patricia Talpe.

started importing Asian plants and following a rise in demand for these products they established a new company.

Kalmia latifolia 'Minuet'.

Azaleas and Kalmias

Devriese-Vermeire is another interesting company that presented their product range on the Florall show. Husband and wife team Marc and Ann Devriese-Vermeire acquired the company in 1989 including 2,5ha of greenhouses and 1ha of container field production.

The couple grows both Azalea indica and Azalea japonica and 90% of their sales are generated in France. Marc takes personal care of sales and visits a lot of smaller garden centres to make business (www.azaleadevriese.com).

Kalmia latifolia 'Minuet', a wonderful dwarf selection, was presented by Dirk de Geest-Yde from Lochristi. Previously, he was growing Azalea indica like many of the growers in the Ghent area. Due to constant pressure on market, he started with Kalmia latifolia. Really exceptional is that Dirk managed to grow Kalmias as a ready for export product in full bloom, which was a very though job. Varieties originate from North America, homeland of Kalmia plants, and are royalty free species.

The final product is presented in 3 litres pots with three cuttings per pot. Kalmia latifolia stays in the umbrella phase for 3 weeks until flowers slowly open.

Strelitzia

In addition, Dirk Mermans, one of few indoor tropical plant operations in Belgium, presented Strelitzia Nicolai, which looks like Alocasia but is not dripping water. As for Strelitzia Nicolai, it flowers only when it stands 2 to 3 metres tall. Extremely strong foliage makes this indoor plant perfect for transportation. For the larger pot sizes, 3 cuttings per pot are used to make the plant more appealing to the consumer. |||

Florall Nowadays, FLORALL is a trade fair where over 150 professional growers present their quality products to the professional visitors.

Purchasers of international trade and export companies, cash & carries and garden centres, as well as garden contractors find the complete range of Belgian horticultural products under one roof.

All nurserymen and growers, but also suppliers of horticultural products can participate. A visit to Florall is strictly reserved to traders and growers but the entrance is free of charge.

April 2014 | www.FloraCulture.eu

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International Events April 2014 April to October 2014. China The Quingdao International Horticultural Exhibition at Baiguo Mountain Forest Park in Quingdao, China. exhibition@qingdaoexpo2014.org www.qingdaoexpo2014.org 1 to 3. China The 3rd International Conference on the Genus of Lilium at the Merchant’s Hotel in Zhangzhou, China. www.lilium2014.org 1 April. United Kingdom AIPH’s GreenCity Conference at One Great George Street in London, UK on 01 April 2014.

Register now and contact AIPH’s Tim Briercliffe. sg@aiph.org 2 to 3. United Kingdom AIPH Spring Meeting in London, United Kingdom. For more information contact AIPH’s secretary general Tim Briercliffe sg@aiph.org 3 to 6. Spain Union Fleurs General Assembl in Cran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. For more details contact Mme Sylvie Mamias secgen@unionfleurs.org www.unionfleurs.org 5 to 10. United States California Spring Trials www.ofa.org/springtrials 11 to 13. United Kingdom RHS Flower Show Cardiff. www.rhs.org.uk 23 to 25. Kazakhstan Astana Flora Expo 2014 in Astana.

T +7 495 221 1251 cell phone (8) 915 185 7903 mail@flowers-expo.ru 23 to 26. China Hortiflorexpo IPM Beijing, organised by the China Flower Association, Intex Shanghai and China Great Wall International Exhibition Co Ltd. in cooperation with Messe Essen GmbH. Venue: Beijing Exhibition Center. www.hortiflorexpo-ipm.com 25 April to 11 May. Korea International Horticulture Goyang Korea 2014 at the Lake Park, Goyang City, Korea www.flower.or.kr/eng/main/ main.php

29 April. The Netherlands PMA Fresh Connections Netherlands Conference at the Hilton, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The conference is designed to offer insight into the key consumer and retail trends reshaping today’s global fresh produce industry.

Register for Fresh Connections: Netherlands at www.pma.com/fc-netherlands by 24 April, 2014.

May 2014 8 to 10. Thailand Horti Asia at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC). www.hortiasia.net 8 to 18. France 11th edition of the Floralies Internationales de Nantes at the Beaujoire convention centre in Nantes. Comité des Floralies 7, quai Henri Barbusse 44000.Nantes accueil@comite-des-floralies.com T +33 (0)2 40 14 58 60 www.comite-des-floralies.com 20 to 24. United Kingdom RHS Chelsea Flower Show. www.rhs.org.uk 22-24. Azerbaijan World Food, Ipack Caspian and Agrihort trade shows at the Baku Expo Center in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Switchboard: +99412 404 1000 Direct fax: +99412 404 1001 Direct tel: +99412 404 1044 www.worldfood.az www.caspianworld.com 28 to 30. Brazil 21st Hortitec at the Holambra/SP Convention Center. www.hortitec.com.br 29 May to 2 June. Ireland Bloom 2014 is Ireland’s most important flower & garden show which will take place in the Phoenix Park in Dublin. www.bloominthepark.com June 2014 4 to 6. Kenya IFTEX, International Flower Trade Expo at the Oshwal convention centre in Nairobi. www.iftex.org 8 to 11. Italy XIII International Symposium on the Processing Tomato - XI World Processing Tomato Congress, Sirmione, Lake Garda, Italy. www.worldtomatocongress.com 10 to 12. The Netherlands GreenTech Amsterdam 2014 at the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre, The Netherlands. www.greentech.nl

10 to 12. United States National Lawn & Garden Show at the Denver International Airport Hotel. www.nlgshow.com 10 to 13. The Netherlands Flower Trials in the Aalsmeer, Westland and Rheinland Westfalen (Germany) areas. www.flowertrials.com 10 to 13. United States International Floriculture Expo at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. www.floriexpo.com 10 to 13. United States International Floriculture Expo at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. www.floriexpo.com

22 to 24. United Kingdom Prepare for historic Norfolk, English gardens and extensive trials of ornamental flowers and vegetables. The 45th Annual Fleuroselect Convention hosted

by Floranova will take place from 22-24 July 2014 in Norwich, U.K. www.fleuroselect.com 28 July to 1 August. United States 32nd Perennial Plant Symposium at the Hilton Netherland Hotel, Cincinnati, Ohio. www.perennialplant.org 30 to 31. United States Penn Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, PANTS14 at the Pennsylvania Convention Centre. www.pantshow.com

19 to 20. Australia Queensland Flower Growers Association Conference from June 19-20 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Called the Know it to Grow it Commference, the focus is on how the floriculture industry can maximise on today’s communications, marketing and promotional channels www.flowersqueensland.asn.au

August 2014

19 to 29. Russia The Russian Nursery Stock Association (APPM) is proud to announce its ‘Gardens and People’ festival which will be held in Moscow’s Sokolniki Park, from June 19 to 29. For more details please visit www.landy-art. ru/helpful_information/news.

10 to 15. Switzerland 2014 Congress of the International Hardy Plants Union (ISU). www.isu-perennials.org

24 to 25. United Kingdom The National Plant Show at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, Warwickshire, CV82LZ, UK. T +44 118 9303132 F +44 118 9323453 enquiries@nationalplantshow.co.uk www.nationalplantshow.co.uk July 2014 8 to 13. United Kingdom RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. www.rhs.org.uk 12 to 15. United States Cultivate! www.cultivate14.org 13 to 18. Italy VIII International Symposium on Chemical and Non-Chemical Soil and Substrate Disinfestation, Torino, Italy. www.sd2014.org

10 to15. Ireland The International Garden Centre Association's 2014 congress will take place in Ireland. Attendees will visit some of Ireland's most beautiful and innovative garden centres, historic and stately gardens, historical sites and some of the best tourist destinations. www.igccireland2014.com

14 to 16. Finland LEPAA, the three-day event set to be held in the Hämeenlinna area, ranks among one of the oldest horticultural trade shows in Europe. www.lepaa.fi 17 to 22. Australia XXIX International Horticultural Congress: IHC2014 in Brisbane, Australia. www.ihc2014.org 19 to 21. United States The Independent Garden Center Show at the Navy Pier in Chicago. www.igcshow.com 21 to 23. United States Farwest Show at the Oregon Convention Centre and organised by the Oregon Association of Nurseries. info@oan.org www.farwestshow.com

April 2014 | www.FloraCulture.eu

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Science Monthly

32

Your source for the latest horticultural research news

Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture is a leading research institute in the international greenhouse horticulture. Experience in both greenhouse horticulture and research allows the institute to develop and implement innovations for and in partnership with the horticultural industry. Research is focused on the development of a sustainable and competitive greenhouse horticulture. This section provides the readers of FloraCulture International with a comprehensive review of the latest research and the provisional results.

For further information please contact: José Frederiks, T +31 317 48 38 78 jose.frederiks@wur.nl

Phalaenopsis: Can crop-steering light take the place of cooling?

Following propagating, Phalaenopsis need an 8-week period of cooling to initiate flower spiking. Until that time, a high temperature should be maintained to prevent flowering. Phalaenopsis are produced all year round, so cooling consumes a lot of energy, especially during summer. Until now.

Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture has now teamed up with Plant Lighting and Plant Dynamics to explore the possibilities of (partly) replacing cooling by light for crop steering.

It is theoretically possible to force bud break and induce flowering by changing the far red:red light ratio. If these parts of the light spectrum are properly used, the greenhouse air temperature can be maintained at a higher level while inducing flowering. There might even be a possibility to shorten the flower induction phase. Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture in Bleiswijk, Netherlands will soon test the hypothesis. |||

Grip on light in the potted plants Anthurium and bromeliads Diffuse light is beneficial for plant growth.

Furthermore, in greenhouses with pot plants more light can be allowed if the light is diffuse.

When combined with the Next Generation Cultivation (‘Het Nieuwe Telen’) new possibilities arise to improve production and to save energy.

Designing two energy-efficient greenhouse concepts

Experiments have been conducted involving two Anthurium cultivars and two Bromeliads. Screens, diffused glass and a Daylight Greenhouse growing environment were used to increase diffuse light, while the air humidity was continuously maintained at a high level. In the summer half year, the growth of all crops increased substantially. More diffuse light avoided any leaf damage.

The Anthurium plants were ready for sale within 16 weeks, instead of the normal 22, while the test also resulted in 25% larger plants.

Greenportkas II is a new energy-efficient greenhouse concept for tomato growing featuring coated double glazing. The Kaspro calculation programme was used for evaluation and served as food for thought for all parties involved including the grower. This resulted in an improved system lay-out. However, the concept was not realised. Subsequently, another innovative greenhouse concept was launched using the same calculation methods and discussion sessions.

This contributed to the design and building of a new concept: the ID greenhouse.

A plan for the monitoring of the energy performance of this new tomato greenhouse was written.

Financers are the PT, Ministry of Economic Affairs and ‘Kas als Energiebron’. |||

www.FloraCulture.eu | April 2014

Applying light integration and decreasing the set-point for heating saved 25% energy. To avoid the risk of leaf damage that coincides with too much light, the methods for plant monitoring were improved. The Plantivity sensor, for example, was improved such that the sensor could measure for one week on the same leaf instead of changing the leaf every 2-3 days.

Furthermore, the sensor can now be used to measure potential photosynthesis which allows a better estimate of the efficiency of photosynthesis. |||

World News The Netherlands/ Colombia Tulips and roses prove popular for International Women’s Day With long spells of fine February weather in Western Europe. It has been a great month for International Women’s Day sales.

FCI samples the sentiment in the trade.

The great floral holiday, International Women’s Day, has come and gone for another year. Marco Vermeulen, head of Dutch Flower Group Wholesale, said that business-wise International Women’s Day 2014 was ok.

“However, the explosive growth we have experienced over the past few years was not visible this year.”

Vermeulen finds it hard to compare International Women’s Day with Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. “International Women’s Day is a flower and plant-giving holiday that is limited to specific countries. Here the impact on flower sales is huge. In contrast, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are celebrated in many countries around the world with a more global impact on the business.”

He went on by saying that Dutch grown tulips, Chrysanthemums and roses, the number one, two and three sellers, were sold for lower prices compared to last year. “The timing of Mother’s Day in the UK in comparison with 2013 resulted in more pressure on prices this year,” concluded Vermeulen who presented his wife with a bouquet of white roses.

The world’s largest flower auction FloraHolland looks back with satisfaction on the Women’s Day sales season. “In Eastern and Southern Europe, International Women’s Day is a very popular ‘flower-day’. Moreover, this year Women’s Day fell on a Saturday, which is good for the business as the delivery of fresh flowers to many destinations in Russia was able to start early in the week,” said Henk

Vreugdenhil, product and marketing manager at FloraHolland.

International Women’s Day is becoming increasingly popular in the aforementioned parts of the world. Valentine’s Day and Women’s Day sales are more or less comparable in terms of stems and turnover, although in the run up to Valentine’s Day the weather can play a vital part.

According to Henk Vreugdenhil overall sales were down. “This is logical as in 2013 Women’s Day (8th of March) and UK Mother’s Day (10th of March) were almost simultaneous.

This year, UK Mother’s Day was celebrated on the 30th of March. During our market visit in Moscow we noticed that customers were very eager to buy flowers and the supplies in the shops regularly sold out.”

Flower sales are highly dependent on weather conditions . “The weather in Western Europe was good; almost no snow and frost and even in Russia the winter was relatively mild.”

Henk knows the number of stems FloraHolland sold on the occasion of Women’s Day off the top of his head. “In week 9 of 2014 the total number of stems sold exceeded 2013 by 2% and in the following week (number 10) this amount was approximately 10% less because of the coinciding Woman’s Day and UK Mother’s Day in 2013.”

In numbers, tulips were the most popular flowers, followed by roses (in value the other way around); Chrysanthemums came third.

Without the two coinciding floral holidays, prices were under pressure. Henk: ”Rosa

and Chrysanthemum remained behind in price. Potted plant prices were somewhat higher with Phalaenopsis yielding a better overall price and higher volumes. Potted plants and potted bulbs such as Hyacinthus and Narcissus performed quite well in terms of pricing.”

Situated over two sites in Colombia’s Savannah area, the 50 ha flower farm Grupo Andes from Colombia, has been producing and exporting the best quality flowers for over 40 years.

Being a member of Asocolflores, the Colombian Association of Flowers Exporters, Grupo Andes is certified and participates in the Florverde Sustainable Flowers programme, which is a social and environmental programme.

They sell predominantly to wholesalers and supermarkets in the USA, Russia, Ukraine, Europe and Japan. Although East Europeans are cutting back on many things, honouring women is not one of them. According to Tania Dolinko, manager of the Grupo Andes, orders for roses and other cut flowers for Women's Day were running ahead of last year. “In total, we have sold one million stems and sales were outstanding with higher prices and bigger volumes than last year. Roses, carnations and Chrysanthemum remain one of the most popular gifts for International Women’s Day. In Russia, this holiday is far more important than Mother’s Day. In comparison with Valentine’s Day, the 8th of March sales season is better when it comes to prices and operational costs.” |||

April 2014 | www.FloraCulture.eu

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Floraculture International encourages the pursuit of joint activities in areas of mutual interest with national and international societies, companies and organizations.

Agreements have been reached between Floraculture International and leading growers and trade associations in 24 countries. This unique partnership includes a complimentary copy for each member of the registered associations. Floraculture International is proud to announce the cooperation with the following associations.

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Advertising Index Company Page website

Company Page website

Best Select .................................................................... insert............................... www.bestselect.be Brandkamp.......................................................................26................................www.brandkamp.de Danziger “Dan” Flower Farm.....................................3.....................................www.danziger.co.il Dutch Lily............................................................................2..........................www.dutchlilydays.com Erich Baumeister GmbH............................................26.......................www.erichbaueister.com FCI FlowersExpoSURE.................................................30.www.floracultureinternational.com Florasearch Inc................................................................35..............................www.florasearch.com.

Floricultura B.V.................................................................6...............................www.floricultura.com FlowerTrials........................................................................6..............................www.flowertrials.com Jungle Jack’s.....................................................................10...........www.junglejacksthailand.com

Market News Service...................................................26.......................... www.intracen.org/mns PMA (Produce Marketing Ass.)...............................36........................................... www.pma.com Real IPM..............................................................................10.....................................www.realipm.com Royalty Administration International ................35.......................www.rai-worldwide.com Takii & Co., Ltd..................................................................30............................................www.takii.co.jp Thierry Richez..................................................................35 Urbinati...............................................................................26....................................www.urbinati.com Veiling Holambra....................................................... 18-20.............................www.veiling.com.br Vitroplus.............................................................................10........................................www.vitroplus.nl Williee Armellini.............................................................35..............................www.lost-harbor.com

April 2014 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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