Floraculture September 2016

S e p t e m b e r 2016

The business magazine for worldwide floriculture

Iran in focus

IRF CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY

How their standard daisies changed the business

THE BREXIT FILES

Statements of industry associations plus coverage during the July Brexit Debate

“Iran is like a lush Springgarden,whereroses everbloom(Shahnameh)�

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TableofContents

September 2016 Volume 26 Number 09

Will Iran bloom into its full potential?

Despite local soil fertility, cheap oil and gas, the vicinity of large consumer markets in the Middle East, the end of economic sanctions and a society anchored within a broad floral tradition, Iran only exports about 2% of its floral production. Until now…

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by Pejman Azadi and Ron van der Ploeg

Image processing in roses

Sepideh Tahmasebi, a horticulture postgraduate student from Tabriz, Iran, is usingimageprocessingtechniquestomonitor plant growth in cut roses.

by Ron van der Ploeg

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IRF celebrates 40th anniversary

From humble beginnings in July 1976 to 40 years of steady growth and blooming results, it’s Happy Birthday to the Sanremo-based Istituto Regionale di Floricoltura (IRF), the Regional Institute for Floriculture!

by Aldo Colombo and Ron van der Ploeg

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The utilization of wood components in growing media (substrates) worldwide is not a new concept. What is new, is the current interest and product development that has occurred in Europe and North America in recent years.

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by Brian E. Jackson and Neil C. Bragg

China's seed business

In China’s seed business cheap labour may not be everything, quality standards play an equally important role.

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by Anke Bührmann

Hot bed for rose breeders

The unique business and growing climates offered to flower companies in Kenya has continued to fuel a blossoming floriculture industry.

by Louise Labuschagne

Wood components lead the quest for responsible growing media

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The exclusivity of the orchid has gone

Consumercolorpreferencesaredeeplyrooted in emotional responses that seem to lack any rational basis, yet the powerful influence of color is hard to deny.

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This revealing interview gives deeper insight into South Africa’s orchid business that involves huge pressure to maintain forward momentum.

by Marc van Sittert

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The Brexit files

An update on Brexit including official statements from different trade associations and a coverage of the July Brexit Debate between major stakeholders from within the Dutch and British floral industry.

by Ron van der Ploeg

Departments World News International Events Advertising Index

by Ron van der Ploeg

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How to turn mammoth tanker into a speed boat?

The Greenport Holland conference brought the European Union to a wide range of stakeholders from within the horticultural industry.

by Ron van der Ploeg

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IFEX, touted as Japan’s largest flower trade exhibitionshowandtobeheldinconjunction with the International Garden Expo Tokyo, GARDEX, is set to take place at Tokyo’s Makuhari Messe on Wednesday, October 12, Thursday, October 13 and Friday October 14.

by Ron van der Ploeg

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Columns 08 40 43

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Helping to improve the skills and knowledge of their customers from as far afield as Kazakhstan and fostering partnerships between industry professionals, Dutch greenhousemanufacturerBomGrouphosted a business networking breakfast.

Sneak peek: IFEX/GARDEX

Colour affects mood, behaviour in marketing

by our PMA correspondent

More crop per drop

From the editor Dutch Comfort Buon Giorno Happy Gardening

07 17 31 35

September 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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FloraCulture The business magazine for worldwide floriculture

Editorial & Administration Offices Angie Duffree

FloraCulture International Postbus 1000, 1430 BA Aalsmeer, Netherlands T +31 6 533 46 605 Circulation Administration: FBW Woerden P.O. Box 612, 3440 AP Woerden, the Netherlands T (31) 34 84 31 393 E info@fbw-woerden.nl Editors:RonvanderPloeg(ron@floracultureinternational.com) Editorial team: William Armellini, Chris Beytes, Alicja Cecot, Aldo Colombo, Arturo Croci, Audrey Gerber, John Ingwersen, Jaap Kras, Marie-Françoise Petitjean, John Sutton, Anthony Tesselaar, Jean Vernon and Jennifer Zurko.

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Europe, Africa, Asia/Pacific International Accounts Management: FloraCulture International, Postbus 1000, 1430 BA Aalsmeer, Netherlands T +31 6 533 46 605 Angie Duffree (angie@floracultureinternational.com) Italy, Southern France: Arturo Croci, (arturo@floracultureinternational.com) 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

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From the editor

by Ron van der Ploeg

In a historic moment, the international B2B magazine for worldwide floriculture, FloraCulture International (FCI), has partnered with the Iranian Society for Ornamental Plants (ISOP), Iran’s National Institute of Ornamental Plants (NIOP) and Tabriz University to publish a theme issue on Iran’s floral industry.

The special issue on such a specific subject presented many challenges which took coordination and indefatigable effort. ISOP’s president Mr Pejman Azadi and I would like to express our deep and sincere gratitude to Mr. Mohammad Reza Shafiee (National Institute of Ornamental Plants NIOP), Dr. S. Mirzaei (National Institute of Ornamental Plants), Mr. A. Nalousi (University of Guilan), Mr. A. Iranshahi (Middle East Flower Engineers Co.) and Dr. H. Bagheri (BuAli sina University) for providing information and proof reading the article.

This month’s article marks the most comprehensive overview of Iran’s ornamental horticulture by any horticultural publication and not only offers an in-depth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the industry but the accompanying photographs also offer a rare glimpse into everyday business and life. ISOP’s and NIOP’s decision to offer a behind-the-scenes look at an industry which has been relatively off limits since the 1979 Revolution is testimony to the global flower community and, of course, to FloraCulture International’s long standing reputation as the primary international source of information and reference.

In the interest of continued exploration of Iran’s market opportunities it is my hope that this supplement will help strengthen business ties between Iran and other major flower producing countries, offering a potential boost to Iran’s export potential.

The timing is perfect: in only a few days, the inaugural Iran Green Trade Fair, set to be held at Tehran’s Permanent Fairground from September 3 to 6, will bring together hundreds of horticultural businesses and national and international buyers.

Our correspondent in Italy, Aldo Colombo, sat down with Margherita Beruto, chief executive of Italy’s major research institute for floriculture, IRF, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Turn to page 18 to discover how IRF’s Dianthus and standard daisies have changed the floral business over the past few decades.

Also this month, we’ve got coverage of the July Brexit debate which brought together different stakeholders from within the British and Dutch floral industry. The article is part of a bigger whole, including official statements of industry associations worldwide. Page 26.

Considering the outcome of the 23rd June vote, the Brexit debate has been fueled mostly by arguments for Britain to leave the European Union. As such it was refreshing to attend the Greenport Holland Spring conference at Amsterdam’s Science Park to hear about the latest horticultural policy and programme developments within the European Union and to discuss what Brussels means for the Dutch horticultural industry. Page 39.

FloraCulture International is published monthly.

Worldwide distribution. ©2016 FloraCulture International magazine.

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

Publisher is not liable for advertisements using illegally obtained images.

Send address changes to FloraCulture International magazine, Postal address: Postbus 1000, 1430 BA Aalsmeer, Netherlands

Ron van der Ploeg, editor ron@floracultureinternational.com

September 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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World News Russia Gum’s Chrysanthemum Days was a fashionable hit No better way to welcome spring than a show of flowers. Marketing consulting companies JustChrys and Sobolj can look back on a very successful promotion to support sales and drive awareness of Dutch chrysanthemums among Russian consumers. For one week in May, Dutch Chrysanthemums took over the womenswear section of Russia’s most famous department store GUM. Dutch Chrysanthemums have proved themselves popular with Russian consumers for many years. Basically, they are present everywhere and anywhere: metro kiosks, flower stalls, grocery stores and florist shops. As such Russians tend to see them as an everyday flower, somewhat unimaginative and mainstream.

To turn the tide, JustChrys and Sobolj teamed up with Russia’s most fashionable department store where floral artist, Paul Gordenko prepared some awesome, high-end Chrysanthemum arrangements that wowed the shopping crowds.

The trendy Chrysanthemums also played a prominent role in a smart sales promotion with GUM customers being offered free mini Chrysanthemum bouquets. Perfectly in line with the latest fashion trends of course…

According to the event organisers, GUM reported a 30% increase in turnover thanks to this sales promotion, an example which was quickly followed by other department stores in Russia. |||

The Netherlands

ALisianthustreasuretrovetoexploreandenjoy A treat for flower wholesalers, growers, breeders and auctioneers alike, the Lisianthus Treasures event at Takii Europe’s headquarters in De Kwakel, The Netherlands on Wednesday June 22 put Lisianthus prominently in the spotlight.

“We tried a daring exercise, setting up a 14day vase-life test in our unconditioned building. Various cultivars achieved vase-lives of 14

days,” said Takii Europe product development manager flowers Hendri Veurink.

He added that the Lisianthus event hosted also a side-by-side comparison of Takii’s Lisianthus range of FI hybrids including the Advantage (double flowered cut Lisianthus, grown only outside The Netherlands), Carmen (single flowered potted Lisianthus), Croma (intermediate, double cut flowers), Rosie (double flowered potted Lisianthus), Vulcan (single-flowered cut Lisianthus), Arena (Takii’s most extensive series featuring double cut flowers), Corelli (xl and fringed blooms), Falda (single flowered fringed cut flowers) and Super Magic (extra- large double cut flowers grown outside The Netherlands) series.

Also on display were a sizeable number of experimental varieties with attendees being invited to comment on overall looks, uniform-

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

ity, colour, flower shape, habit and stem lengths, weights and sturdiness.

Holland’s famous Westland region in The Netherlands is a Lisianthus production hotspot. Greenhouse sections with Lisianthus were first established there in the mid-1980s.

Today, there is about 27ha of glasshouse Lisianthus production in The Netherlands occupying an estimated 10 year-round growers. Together they produce up to 125 million stems/year.

Burning issues at Takii’s event were the upcoming Brexit vote (the UK is an important export destination for Dutch grown Lisianthus), the possible increasing value of the euro against the pound as well as the notably improved vase life of Takii’s double flowered varieties and sturdiness of existing Lisianthus varieties. |||

United States Social media affects female shoppingbehaviour New findings from social consultancy firm Influence Central reveals just how big a role social media now plays the purchasing behavior of American women. The authors of the survey found that 81% of female consumers frequently purchase items being influenced by interactions on social media.

Influence Central asked roughly 400 women to complete an online questionnaire which will help businesses gain a better understanding of the consumer’s voice, whether in reviews on corporate websites, social media platforms.

The survey also illustrated how 72% of respondents consider social media recommendations are an important step in their purchase decision journey, while a whopping 81% say that product reviews greatly influence the way they shop. |||

The Netherlands

Strategic alliance to grow global flower hub Dutch flower auction Royal FloraHolland, KLM Cargo and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol last month announced the formation of a strategic alliance to boost flower imports.

One of the key strategic initiatives of the blooming bond, dubbed Holland Flower Alliance, is to solidify its presence as the world’s leading flower hub and its execution of that strategy is important now more than ever as competition between nearby airports is becoming increasingly fierce. Meanwhile, it is also foreseen that the modal shift of flowers from air to sea will increase.

The strategic alliance comes at a time when Dutch cargo carrier Martinair is scaling back its freighter fleet with its last McDonnell Douglas MD-11F being currently phased out.

The collaboration will accelerate research efforts in the areas of a cut flower-specific cold chain (to address the problem of cut flowers being shipped at temperatures that are often too high). Standardized packaging is part of Holland Flower Alliance’s strategic vision which aims at reducing the supply chain’s myriad 200 to 300 different packaging materials. Moreover, Holland Flower Alliance will look for ways to set up a customized cargo flight data system to plan shipments, manage supply chain activities and monitor trends.

The new collaboration positions Royal FloraHolland and KLM Cargo to further benefit from using Amsterdam Airport Schiphol as the global airport of choice that offers express customs processing of flowers and an expanded route network with direct cargo access to all world regions.

One of the initial benefits for the flower import community will be a single entity providing advocacy, promotion and collaboration on key issues that matter to the industry most.

According to data from Dutch shipper organisation EVO, air freighters carrying flowers increasingly face competition from so-called belly cargo. Over the past few years, KLM Cargo has expanded its support of the East African market, increasing its freighter operations from Nairobi and Addis Ababa from 11 to 26 weekly services.

Three years ago, however, the company suspended its air freight operations between Amsterdam and Addis Ababa due to weak air cargo demand.

The Boeing 747-400 air freighter is widely considered the queen of the air cargo fleet, capable of carrying 103 tons/103,000 kg of cargo. Fresh cut flowers and cuttings account for 15% of total KLM cargo shipments by weight.

Data from Boeing reveals that air cargo has become an integral part of world business activity and currently generates annual revenues in excess of $50 billion. Boeing airplanes perform every role in the air cargo market, offering the most complete choice of freighters and total solution capabilities for conversion of airplanes to freighters.

Air freighters provide 9% of total airline revenues. |||

September 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

Iran

Will Iran bloom into its full potential?

As the new horticultural trade exhibition Iran Green Trade Fair will open its doors on September 3, Iran’s limited participation in the world flower market will be back in the news. Despite local soil fertility, cheap oil and gas, the vicinity of large consumer markets in the Middle East, the end of economic sanctions and a society anchored within a broad floral tradition, Iran only exports about 2% of its floral production.

Until now…

by Pejman Azadi* and Ron van der Ploeg

Photo credits: Mr. Sina Motamed Rad.

F

rom Hafiz’ and Omar Kayyam’s poems of praise to honourandglorifythebeauty of the rose to the traditional potted Hyacinths occupying pride of place at the Haft Sin, the ceremonial table set for Iranian New Year (Nowruz) on March 21st, Iranians are good flower consumers both historically and by nature. As such, commercial floriculture supplying the local market is by no means new to Iran.

Longstanding floral tradition

It hasn’t been documented by humanity, but in Iran the traditionofcelebratingflowersand landscaped areas can be traced back 3000 years ago. However, the country’s first commercial flower farms and landscaping companies took root only 100 years ago. The exchangeofideas,researchfindings and even gardeners were already there.

During the reign of Mozaffar-edDin, Shah of the Qajar Dynasty (1896-1907), for example, the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph sent one of his gardeners, Leopold Protiva, to Tehran to educate workers in the city’s royal gardens.

Before the 1979 revolution, Iran and countries such as Holland had a blooming relationship based on flower trade, amongst others. Iran bought between 50 to 75% of its imported flowers and plants from Holland in the 1970’s. And one of the country’s oldest professional

flower shops launched as early as the 1950’s in Tehran.

Floral trade plummeted after the 1979 revolution as imports of ornamentals became prohibited.

Years of sanctions took a serious toll on Iran’s economy and people, but thereweresomehorticulturalbright spots of the ‘resistance economy’ that boosted domestic production of cut flowers and potted plants.

Youngplantgrowersinthecountry, for example, were able to produce and sell their own plug plants withoutbeinghinderedbyimports from abroad. However, the overall situation was challenging mainly because of the trade barriers.

New cut flower varieties were not available to the growers. Also there is currently no legislation in place to protectplantbreeder’srights(PBR).

Geographic concentration

Iran is in the arid zone, some 65% of its territory has an arid or hyperarid climate. Roughly 12% of Iran’s land is cultivable with the western and northwestern portions of the country having the most fertile soil and the highest potential for production of ornamentals.

Open field growing of cut flower crops is practiced mostly in Mazandaran, Markazi, Tehran, Khuzestan, Alborz and Fars Provinces.

Recently, commercial flower growing has expanded to some of the nation’s other 31 provinces.

The provinces of Tehran, Markazi, Khuzestan, Mazandaran, Alborz andIsfahanhostthelargestconcentration of greenhouses in Iran.

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Iran Figure 1. Total area for ornamentals in 2016, open and greenhouse.

Production figures

Currently there are an estimated 10,000 flower and plant nurseries in Iran with approximately 3,500 hectares in outdoor production and 2,200 hectares under protection (95% plastic tunnels and 5% greenhouses).

In Iran’s ornamental horticulture, greenhouses are producing three main product groups: fresh cut flowers (1800ha), potted plants (300ha) and young plants (100ha).

Plasticorthe muchmoreexpensive glass is the material of choice and the quantity of greenhouse structures is likely to increase given that they protect crops from the effects ofunfavourableweather,including wind, rain and extreme temperatures. And in zones with a scarcity of fertile, cultivable land soilless cultureingreenhousesallowsfarmerstogrowornamentalcropsinany region, even those with poor soil conditions.

Water and energy sources

Carnation ranks among the country’s cash crops.

Greenhousecropproductioncompaniesarealsoautomaticallylinked to another important production factor: water. According to a 2013 study by the World Resources Institute, Iran ranks 24th as the most water-stressedcountryintheworld.

Agriculture is responsible for 80% of all of Iran’s water use so sustainable management is more crucial than ever. With this in mind protected cropping offers

many benefits to horticultural production such as a 15 to 25 % higher water use efficiency.

As for energy used in Iran’s greenhouse horticulture, the main heating sources are oil and gas. The price for 1000 m2 greenhouse per year for gasoline is $500-2000 depending on the region (moderate or cold climate areas).The price of gas is half of oil.

Chart 1. Geographic concentration of field grown ornamentals in 2016.

ISOP and NIOP working hard to build an ever stronger floral industry Founded in 2013, the Iranian Society for Ornamental Plants (ISOP) aims to improve the floral industry in Iran. ISOP comprises a team of experts actively engaged in ornamental plants and flower-related issues and its mission is to apply professional skills towards improving the quality of research. ISOP also aims to increase the transfer of all aspects of ornamental plant knowledge and skills to support flower growers throughout the country.

In 2014, the Mahallat-based research station for floriculture was granted the status of National Institute of Ornamental Plants (NIOP). This institute is dedicated to high-quality, applied research and collaborates with universities, research centers and private companies both in and outside the country. NIOP is also looking for ways to establish research greenhouses and flower breeding centers across the country.

One of the biggest challenges lies in finding the best location for each ornamental crop in terms of suitable climate and botanical origins. ISOP and NIOP are working hard to build an ever stronger floriculture industry in Iran .

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

Chart 2. Geographic concentration of greenhouse ornamentals in 2016.

Iran has a variety of climates The Islamic Republic of Iran is a vast country, covering 1.6 million km2, which is roughly equal to the United Kingdom, France Spain and Germany combined.

According to data from the Encyclopaedia Iranica and the Persian National Weather Service, the country is divided into roughly four different climate zones. In W. Köppen’s classification the largest portion of Persian territory appears to fall into the dry-steppe (semiarid; BS) and dry-desert (arid; BW) zones.

The climates of the plateau and the southern coastal area can be further classified as colder (BSk or BWk) or warmer (BSh or BWh) respectively, the boundary being the 18° C annual isotherm. Only the upland areas of the Alborz and the Zagros can be classified as having a subtropical dry­-summer climate (Csa), whereas the northern slopes of the Alborz and the Caspian lowlands belong to the category of subtropical humid climates (Cf).

There is no doubt that Tehran and its 12 million inhabitants represents a potentially enormous mass consumer market.

Export barriers

Economic surveys indicate that the country has the potential to earn one billion dollars per year with export of ornamentals, but such prophecies would require more technical knowledgeandpropermanagementof available capacities.

Being located near densely populated countries with a rising expenditure on plants and flowers, Iran has the potential to grow into a cut flower hot spot.

Its northern and southern neighbors rank among the potential buyers of ornamentalplants.Exportswouldhelp spread business risks across different markets,knowledgesharing,improved qualitystandardsandforeigncurrency.

Domestic market versus export sales

Flowergrowingisalabour-intensive activity and in Iran this is no exception.Overthepasttwodecades,between 30 to 35% of a flower farm’s salesturnoverhasbeenrepresented by wages. In addition to this are a weakening national currency and soaring production costs.

Although there is no exact data on theeconomically-activepopulation in Iran, it is estimated that around 40,000 people are professionally involved in producing ornamental

plants and cut flowers. The average wage is $300 US per month.

Almost all of Iran’s cut flowers (98%) are produced for the home market.

Only 2% of total flower production is exported to other countries.

Average annual exports (from provinces including Markazi, Tehran, Mazandaran and Gilan) to other countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, SaudiArabiaandEuropeancountries represent a value of $30 to 40 million.

Iran’sfloralwholesaleindustryposted an estimated $700 million in sales.

>>>

Potted Hyacinths remain a firm favourite for the Iranian New Year.

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Iran Notwithstanding the benefits derived from exporting in an increasingly globalized marketplace, for many small-to- medium sized flower businesses in Iran it would be a bumpy road. Barriers to exporting can be identified as follows: • Theabsenceoflarge-scaleflower farms.Themajorityofbusinesses cover an area less than 5000m2 • Lack of knowledge and experience with regards to exporting • The absence of a permanent flower market and suitable selling system such as a flower auction in metropolitan areas.

• Shipping and logistics cause barriers to export. Many flowers arewastedduringtransportation

Figure 2. The type of ornamental horticulture businesses in Iran in 2016.

in the absence of a cold chain. Optimizationofthetransportationsystem by air-conditioned reefer containers on trucks, boats and planes and at airports would improve flower and plant exports.

• The high price of agricultural lands ($15,000 /ha) in Tehran and in the northern provinces such as Gilan and Mazandaran is another important factor limiting the flower industry.

Althoughthereisenoughagricultural landavailable,thousandsofhectares remain unused since water is the most limiting factor.

Currently, the Islamic Republic of Iran, working together with the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) encourages flower farmers to switch from field production to protected cropping, all for the sake of a more efficient use of water. However, more insights are needed into this climatesmart strategy.

Iranian flower market bursting with activity.

Iran – home to one of the world’s most importantagriculturalheritagesystems According to the 2013 study by the World Resources Institute, Iran ranks 24th as most water-stressed country.

This explains how Iranians have evolved into true irrigation experts over the centuries. Take the Qanat irrigation with technology and related knowledge systems dating back to at least 800 BC. The country’s Kashan region has one of the oldest Persian agricultural systems, which is irrigated by Qanats. The system has sustained food security and livelihoods for centuries by providing a reliable source of water to traditional family farmers, mainly in dry areas where farming would otherwise be impossible. In 2014, Iran’s Qanat irrigation system was designated a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) and recognized by FAO as a model of innovation and adaptability, delivering important benefits to the ecosystem.

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Ornamental crops

Among the country’s most important ornamental crops rank Gladiolus, Rosa, Polianthus tuberosa, Dianthus and Chrysanthemum.

However, some new arrivals have recentlyjoinedthetop-of-the-crop list with plants such as Epipremnum, Ficus benjamina, Cineraria, Yucca, Aglaonema, Potted Chrysanthemum, Kalanchoe, Anthurium, Gerbera and Lilium.

According to official data, nearly 30-40% of the ornamental plant and flower wholesale business is running via flower wholesale markets (70% cut flowers, 20% potted plants and 10% nursery stock products).

Flower trade

In Iran, B2C flowers are mainly sold through florists (90%) with the remainderincludingstreetvendors, garden centers, event organizers and supermarkets. So far, a flower auction remains a typical Dutch inventionbutsomeworkinggroups are looking at the possibility of setting up a flower auction in major flower markets such as Tehran, Mazandaran, Markazi and Isfahan.

More recently, municipalities are trying their luck in ornamental horticulture by setting up sales outlets for ornamental plants.

With the urban population growth, the number of flower shops within the country has increased accordingly.

On the other hand, the flower exportsbusinesshaspracticallycome to a standstill over the past fifteen years. The increase of artificial flowers in the market is a threat for domestic flower consumption.

Between 30-40% of the ornamental plant and flower wholesale business is running via flower wholesale markets (70% cut flowers, 20% potted plants and 10% nursery stock products).

Farm evolution

Meanwhile,farmevolutionisrather slow. Striving to best serve customers and the environment, a few entrepreneurshavebuiltextensiveand fully equipped greenhouses. However, almost all of the companies are small-sized (3000-5000 m2) with no more than around 50 big nurseries in place. By assigning greenhouse units to agriculture graduatesandyoungplantgrowers specializationandknowledgesharing has become possible.

business led to decreasing prices.

As such, the total revenue per unit area of saleable cut flowers has decreased. In the past, the retail price was nearly 200-500% of production cost but today this number decreased to 50-100% of totalcosts.Despitesoaringinflation in Iran, flower growers with small productionunitscanstillgeneratea goodincome,butthosewhowould like to compete in the world market need mass production with lower profit margins accordingly.

Environment

Transport

Over the past few years, there has been a special emphasis on biological control and integrated pest management (IPM) which helps to produce environmentally friendly grownflowers.However,thereality is there are still too many growers using high amounts of pesticides.

Profitability

The high cost of input and intense competition in the Iranian flower

Iran is a large country and transport is of key importance for all growers.

Although transportation costs are not high (approximately less than 10% of total cost), attempts in this section to keep flower quality high has met with little success.

Floral consumption

The overall value consumption of floriculture crops in Iran is in excess of $ 500 million. There are

Modern greenhouses owned by Mr Kebriaei from Varamin, Tehran province.

no reliable data on per capita spending,butitisestimatedthat Iranians annually spend $15 for cut flowers and $ 4 for potted plants.

Officially there weren’t any imports of cut flowers. But youngplants,bulbs,seeds,some bonsai plants, orchids and lucky bamboos came in from abroad representing a value of about $80 million in 2014. The same year, nearly 90% of Iran’s flower supply, in value terms, was grown domestically.

Floral holidays

There are some special holidays in Iran such as religious holidays, New Year’s, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day that boost demand for flowers and plants.

However, except Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, which is fixed and based on the solar calendar (March 21) almost all other holidays change date each year as they are based on the lunar calendar. It should be noted that in the lunar calendar, the months are not linked with the seasons and drift by 11 to 12 days each solar year.

To conclude

In Western Europe, the current trend on the global flower market is eliminating the intermediaries;thewholesalersbetween the growers and the retailers.

Flowersarebecomingmoreand more accessible at reasonable prices to all consumers. Experts

say this is also needed in Iran’s domestic flower business in ordertoimprovethepurchasing powerofpeopleandsubsequently increase the demand.

Iranian producers need to increase supply volumes in order to compete in the international marketplace. A highlyeffectivewaytoreachthis goal is development of foreign investment in the Iranian flower business. Complete removal of sanctions and joining the international business will effectively help the country’s flower industry. From this point of view, the next five years look promising.

With the industry as a whole adopting an approach to increase production units and trying to become more professionalandspecialised,Iran has the potential the produce high quality flowers for more competitive prices. ||| * Mr Pejman Azadi is President of the Iranian Society for Ornamental Plants (ISOP) azadip22@gmail.com www.isop.ir (farsi only) Note:Sincetherearefewstatistical andreliabledocumentscontaining data on Iran’s floriculture industry, it is difficult to report precise informationonIran’sornamentals production. Therefore some of abovementioneddataisbasedon estimationandmightnotbeexact.

September 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Iran Sepideh Tahmasebi, a horticulture postgraduate student from Tabriz, Iran, is using image processing techniques to monitor plant growth in cut roses.

Her study reveals a correlation between leaf colour variation and the stages of stem growth in cut roses. This can help rose growers make early yield predictions.

Howimageprocessing can help rose growers predict crop yields W

ith revenues of commercialgreenhouseproduction of roses suffering, thehorticultureindustrycontinues tosearchforquickerandeasiercrop scheduling. With support from plant physiologist and professor Mansour Matloobi, Tahmasebi is collecting images of ‘Caribia’, ‘Full House’, ‘Cherry Brandy’ and ‘Polar Star’ cut roses, grown in a research and demonstration greenhouse at Tabriz University.

After image acquisition, custom software is used for image preprocessing. This involves gray scale conversion, the process of converting a colour or multi-channel digital image to a single channel where each pixel possesses a single intensity value. To enhance the imagefurther,imagesegmentation and background deletion are also important pre-processing steps.

Detecting colour differences

by Ron van der Ploeg

In the study, image processing proves to be an efficient tool to detectcolourdifferencesamongthe leavesgrowingondifferentcultivars over the entire period of stem development.“Additionally,agood correlation was found between the stem leaf colour change and stemlength,showingthatpigment alteration inside the leaves follows a trend which is very similar to the stem growth pattern. Anthocyanins, in addition to other important pigments such as chlorophylls and carotenoids, comprise a dominant part of the pigment pools inside the leaves and flowers,” explained Tahmasebi.

She added, “Young shoots usually come in warm colours, especially

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

Sepideh Tahmasebi, a horticulture postgraduate student from Tabriz, Iran, is using image processing techniques to monitor plant growth in cut roses.

in bronze hues which gradually lose their colourful pigments and startdevelopingchlorophyll,which is the most important pigment involved in the photosynthesis process. This gradual change in leaf color is in harmony with the shoot stage of growth and can give cut-rosegrowersanopportunitynot onlytoplangreenhouseoperational programmes but also to adjust the harvest time and schedule yearly cropping periods.”

Rose navigation system

Commercial rose growing is a global affair with some of the biggest players based in Kenya, Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia and the Netherlands. But not all production environments are equal. The

Netherlands, for example, hosts a sizeable number of high tech rose farms using LEDs, substrates and state-of-the-artandcomputer-controlled greenhouses. There is every reason to believe that Dutch rose growersarealreadyabletoprogram and predict their crops precisely with the right fertigation, lighting and cultivar selection.

When asked about the additional benefit of image processing techniques for Dutch rose growers, Tahmasebi said, “I agree. Rose growing in the Netherlands is already a highly sophisticated and technicallyadvancedactivityusing a wide range of modern control instruments and growth models. But whatshootcolourmonitoringdoes is to tell the grower exactly where

Dutch Comfort

by Jaap N. Kras

he stands. Similar to a navigation system in a car, image processing not only specifies our location on a map but also tells us what is going to happen in the near future. It indicates the current plant growth stage, providing percentages of each stage, while helping growers make early predictions.

Thesenewtechniquescanbeusedtoanswer questions such as: ‘How many stems are still in the vegetative stage?’ or ‘How many are in thebud-settingstage?’State-of-the-artrose growth monitoring is mainly carried out manually but shoot monitoring techniques measure things, most unseen by the naked eye. But of course image processing is just one part of the process. It also requires crop scouting and human fieldwork.”

High tech versus low tech

Large-scalefarmsthatuselow-techmethods to grow roses in soil in Africa and South America are another opportunity. Is it not difficult to imagine these farms being equippedwithrelativelyexpensivecameras?

“Image processing doesn’t actually require a highly automated growing environment.

I agree it is a high-tech tool but operation costs are relatively low. This technique can readily be integrated into a high-tech greenhouse, but it can also be used easily on low-tech farms such as in Africa or South America. The only thing you need to do is install a few cameras, each covering its own growingarea. Growerscanuse asimple data transfer system (cable or Wi-Fi) linked to a central computer.”

Tahmasebi sees her work as a first step towardsthedevelopmentofamodellinking the visual, dynamic change in plants with changes in leaf colour. |||

Iran

The mountainous, northwestern region of Iran hosts what is probably the oldest commercial flower growing area in the world.

Iran is the ancestral home of many bulbs including tulips, daffodils and hyacinths and for modern-day botanical explorers the country remains a bulb genetic treasure trove of rare, wild species. The explorers’ carefully planned treks rely on sturdy mountain pack horses to traverse exposed steppes and narrow mountain paths with precipitous drops.

For years, my old friend and daffodil breeder Jaap Leenen dreamt of embarking on a farm tour to meet fellow growers and discover what the Iranian flower industry is really about.

The nation’s old name of Persia conjures up images of lavish gardens and magnificent ancient sights. Thoughts of Karl May’s Kara Ben Nemsi and Hadji Halef Omar come to mind and the entire day orchestral masterpieces are stuck in my head: Schubert’s ‘Die Schöne Müllerin’ and Sibelius’‘Karelia Suite’ with men on horses passing in the distance.

Iran: where mountains are high, the valleys are low and rivers and lakes are everywhere.

Forget the years of political isolation and the diplomatic manoeuvring, Iran is above all a beautiful country with hard-working farmers and growers with many generations of old traditions and growing techniques.

Iran’s floral industry, however, needs to modernize its many processes in order to open rich opportunities for global trading. However, breeders would need to proceed with caution when launching new varieties as the country is not a member of the international Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) and as such does not recognize Plant Breeders’ Rights.

Iran has a consumer market of 80 million people with the majority being young and well-educated . As stated in this issue, the country contains many provinces with a climate well-suited for growing plants and flowers.

Except for Iran’s vast domestic market, Iran stands to be a bridge between East and West being located relatively close to Russia, Turkey and the ‘Stans’ (stan= people) such as Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan. The distance between Dubai and Tehran is around 1200 kilometers.

As we all know, the first step to mutual understanding of foreign countries and other cultures is trade. There is every reason to believe that the demand for flowers and plants in Iran exceeds supply which means there are plenty of growth opportunities.

Now that the sanctions have been lifted, Iran’s economy will grow as will the consumption of flowers and plants.

A solid, growing home market lays the foundation for future exports.

Business contacts are important and face-to-face contact at HPP’s newest trade show in Tehran, Iran Green Trade Fair from September 3-6 will be greeted with enthusiasm by industry professionals from across the world.

Jaap N. Kras info@jaapkras.nl

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Research From humble beginnings in July 1976 to 40 years of steady growth and blooming results, it’s Happy Birthday to the Sanremo-based Istituto Regionale di Floricoltura (IRF), the Regional Institute for Floriculture!

FloraCulture International sat down with IRF director Ms. Margherita Beruto to find out about the research station’s history, accomplishments and future plans.

How IRF’s standard daisies changed the world

F

ounded July 2 1976 by Liguria’s regional authorities, IRF is predominantly involved in national projects and has served a multitude of research groups and growers from across Italy. Today the station has 2 ha, 30 staff and their annual budget for next year is expected to be €1,700,000. The region contributes €700,000forday-to-dayoperations of the institute. Additionally, it benefits from €600,000 in EU grant-aid.

Public/private partnership

by Aldo Colombo and Ron van der Ploeg

To have access to these funds, IRF researchers collaborate with members of the private sector on commercial cut flower farming research in areas such as plant pathology, plant breeding and innovative technology.

A prime example of this public/ private partnership is IRF’s cut Helleborusbreedingprogrammein which IRF has teamed up with the cream of Italy’s leading Helleborus businesses. The year 2014 marked

the launch of a series of in-vitro propagated,interspecificHelleborus hybrids that are suited to the mild winters and warm, dry summers in Liguria. ‘Nikita’, ‘Domingo’, ‘Guapa’ and ‘Francesco’ (named after Pope Francis), are four hybrids that come in different shades of white and crop stages. Currently they are being trialed at 10 flower farms, using different cultivation techniques in the open field, in greenhousesorshadehalls.Planted in 2014, the 5,000 IRF Helleborus produced their first, modest cut flower crop last year. The first stems of ‘Francesco’ and its brothers and sisters yielded €0.40 to €0.50.

Particularly promising is the 10 to 15 day vase life.

using carnations as a cash crop and the market was flourishing with a strongappetiteforfreshcutflowers and potted plants at home and abroad.

One of the first scientists to collect data at IRF in 1987, Dr Margherita Beruto, who graduated from the University of Genua in Biological

Sanremo carnations

From the very beginning , there was strong community support for the station, with people actively searching for solutions to the unique challenges associated with commercial flower growing in Liguria. There’s no doubt that at the time, flower growers were

Standard marguerite daisy ‘Camilla Ponticelli’.

Floriculture in Liguria: quick facts According to the 2011 ISTAT census of agriculture, Liguria hosts 20,121 firms, 38% of which are located in the Imperia province (Sanremo area) and 26% in Savona province (Albenga area). The floricultural firms comprise approximately 20% of the total, 4,271 firms for an area of 2,673 ha.

According to the census, the province of Imperia had 73% of floricultural firms in the region with 68% of the area.

According to a more recent local census, in 2014 the number of firms in the Imperia province decreased further to a total of 2,329 (5,9% less than in 2013).

However, the floricultural firms are still more abundant than those for grapes and wine (96), olives (853) and other crops (760). In Savona province floricultural firms number more than 1,000, with a slower decrease than in Imperia.

All the firms are ‘micro’ size; the average area is 0.58 ha each. Cut flowers are still predominant in Imperia province, while potted plants are mostly grown in Savona (around 120 million pots/year). Near the French border there is significant production of succulent plants (20 million pots/year).

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

many new varieties, even though the strongest export article for the Albenga Plain nowadays is potted aromatic herbs. Around the same time, IRF, working together with the plant health authorities from Sweden, assisted daisy exporters in finding a solution for Liriomyza miners”, said Beruto.

Mini mouse ears

Sciences in 1997, is very familiar with the development of the research station.

She remembers how carnations occupied pride of place initially.

“We were following the trends in production, and the main crop in the1980s was carnations. At the time, there were already, and still are, a sizeable number of local breeders selling their varieties all over the world. The IRF provided them support investigating plant pathology, particularly viruses, performing all detection tests and rescuing varieties through meristematic apex. We opened a purpose-built plant pathology laboratory that is still up and running. This laboratory carried out research on a very dangerous pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.dianthi. To this day, IRF continues performing resistance tests of varieties of the two most common pathotypes (2 and 4) of this disease. Carnation cuttings are grown in-vivo on filtrates of the fungus in different concentrations, checking the resistance of each variety. So, for carnations there was no direct breeding at the IRF but rather a service to local breeders to improve their mother stock plants.”

decided to try their luck with the emerging floriculture industry.

“Back then, our institute was studying Argyranthemum (daisy) varieties for use as cut flowers. In the absence of a local Argyranthemum breeder the IRF started creating its own varieties.

One of the selections featured a very compact growth habit, flowering profusely and had big potential as a potted plant.

History did the rest with IRF’s ‘Camilla Ponticelli’ variety that caused many Albenga growers to swap their vegetables for ornamentals. The 1990s saw a huge expansion of Argyranthemum production with patio pots produced in their millions.

Today demand for standard marguerite daisies remains strong with Albenga producing in excess of 10 to 12 million patio pots/ year.

“Meanwhile, we have obtained

Helleborus breeding work.

IRF's headquarters in San Remo.

Daisies cutting a dash

In the late 1980s, the growers from the Albenga plain, whose specialty was vegetable crops,

The 1990s marked dramatic changes in production which severely impacted IRF’s function.

“Until then the major production area was Sanremo where predominantly cut flowers were grown,” outlined Beruto. She added, “But the Albenga growers switchedtofloweringpottedplants which resulted in more intensive contactswiththeAlbengagrowers, even if we have always tried to supportbothareas.InSanremo,the main product became cut foliage, and we helped growers find new items from countries with a climate similar to ours such as Australia and New Zealand. Recently, we helped other growers with in-vivo propagation techniques to reobtain the desired shape of ‘mini mouse ears’ in Eucalyptus gunnii, that had been lost through seed propagation.”

In cut flowers, the IRF assisted Ranunculus breeders in setting up an in-vitro cloning protocol that providedabigboosttoRanunculus production not only in the region but in the world at large. Currently Biancheri’s Success line ranks among the leaders in this niche market.

The IRF also carries out research on succulent plants with cooperation from private firms such as Cactusmania and Asseretto. “We are creating some innovative genotypes for them. In this competitive sector you have to introduce novelties to distinguish yourself from your fellow growers in Northern Europe that often can produce at a more competitive level”, commented Beruto.

She continued, “For the Albenga area, IRF is still breeding new varieties of daisies, with a very compact growth habit that can be obtained naturally (without PGRs) and with new colors.”

>>>

September 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Research COPA (Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations)”, explained Beruto.

Strong community support

Another interesting IRF programme is the development of natural products for Integrated Pest Management derived for instance from the by-products of Lavandula. “This is a new importantdevelopmentandweare collaborating with other European researchinstitutesaswellasgetting financial support from the EU/

Side-by-side trials of promising new Argyranthemum genetics.

2010 ISTAT figures of typical Ligurian crops Carnation: 16 ha with an annual production of about 19 million stems.

Daisy: about 10 million pots/year, mainly sold to the German market; daisy cut flowers are minimal with 4ha and about 4 million stems Cut foliage (including green and flowering, cut fruit and leaves): in Savona 170 ha (open field) and around 2 million pieces (85% green cut foliage). In Imperia, 1,756 ha (open field and greenhouse) and about 600 million pieces Ranunculus: 135 ha with about 150 million products stems in Imperia Helleborus and other ‘new’ flowers: Helleborus is not yet widespread, only samples. Interesting growth for the peonies that in the ISTAT data for 2010 were not accounted for. The institute is also working on ANEMONE (micropropagation): Imperia covers 24 ha (ISTAT data in 2010, but it is growing) and 63 Imperia is famous for its wide million stems. range of cut foliage products.

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

She emphasized that from the beginning , there was strong communitysupportforthestation.

“When we started, our research was perfectly in line with demand from local growers and breeders.

Now it is more important than ever to develop programmes together. A crucial point, being a public institute, is financing our projects. This can only be achieved by working with the region’s most important plant businesses.”

IRF frequently works on a contract basis with growers and breeders.

“They can help us with the commercial aspects while we are good at focusing on research. We also have clients outside Liguria and abroad, but the main aim is creating the local industry more opportunities locally. The royalties we get from our varieties are also vital to our financing.”

An interesting development in the region is that apparently young people are returning to agriculture after many years. “New forms of business are in development, for instancecombiningagricultureand tourism, two of the main industries

in our area. In any case, the IRF will continue to be a resource and support for floriculture in our region, said Beruto.”

Since its interception, IRF has seen how Liguria’s ornamental horticulture industry changed dramatically with cheap imports, bureaucracy, challenging trading conditions and high energy prices creatinghugeobstaclesforgrowers.

“The IRF has not only given the industry an exceptional legacy of data spanning forty years, but we are poised to play a pivotal role over the next forty years in addressing key issues affecting the floral industry,” concluded Beruto. |||

IRF’s tissue culture lab.

Kenya The unique business and growing climates offered to flower companies in Kenya has continued to fuel a blossoming floriculture industry.

Hot bed for rose breeders

A

lthough there seems little consolation to offer growers anywhere in the world against the vagaries of exchange rates, recessions and competition – it seems that Kenya continues to attract investors. Established Kenyanrosecompaniesareexpanding production whilst newcomers from South America and the EU are investigatingtherelativeadvantages offered by a skilled, energetic workforce, the steady Kenya shilling and lackofforeignexchangerestrictions.

A rosy future

The Kenya brand is now wellestablishedindiscerningflowerhubs in the Netherlands and Dubai and Kenyan flower growers serve direct markets all over Europe, Middle East, Japan, Russia and Australia.

A growing number of rose variety names are now Kiswahili words, Tendaji, Salimia and Sawa. This is testament to the fact that the current area of roses in production in Kenya isabout3,500harepresentingalarge proportion of the world’s trade.

Pioneers

by Louise Labuschagne

Rose breeders are starting to move their breeding facilities to Kenya, notjusttheirshowhouses.Formerly Preesman Ltd, now United Selections is one of these pioneers for whom vertical integration makes more economic sense. They have been breeding roses for more than 60 years and work through a global network of agents who showcase their varieties and provide agency services to customers.

Having the rose breeding activities within easy reach of their customers means that growers have the opportunity to influence breeding programmes through their Early Client Involvement Programme.

The United Selections President, Ahmed Nzibo heads up the Kenyan rose breeding team. Kenya is now the international head office of United Selections. Their main breeding and selection houses are near the shores of Lake Nakuru in the Great Rift Valley.

All year round growing conditions and endless energy from the Equatorial sun make this an ideal spot on the planet to put down roots for a growing business.

Kenyanshowhousesandselection houses in Nakuru, Eldoret and Thika and Ethiopian show houses in Debrezeit and Ziway provide opportunitiesforUnitedSelections to fine tune the symphony of coloursandshapestoallowgrowers and markets to flourish.

Breeding

A new variety soaks up many thousands of man-hours, diligence, intuition, knowledge and experience to develop into a commercially successful rose.

A rose flower, with both pollenproducing male stamens and receptivefemalestigmas,formsthe basis of the miraculous formation of new varieties. But this natural process is haphazard and less likely to meet the needs of the market place. So here, in the ancient Rift Valley,rosebreedersarealsotaking the first steps in the production of new rose varieties.

Breeding houses with the mother stocks produce pollen in flowers withknowngeneticcharacteristics.

This pollen is collected by hand, labeled and used to brush onto other varieties of roses with known characteristics–aftertheirownstamens have been manually removed.

The all year round growing climate with the natural energy of the sun, makes relocating strategic operations like breeding a profitable enterprise for flower breeding companies.

United Selections has been representing Brown Breeding, an Ecuadorianrosebreedingcompany since 2013. So far successfully launched Brown Breeding varieties are: Kahala-BB, Felicia-BB and Farina-BB and Hina-BB are around the corner to be launched as well.

IPM

Breeding for resistance to pests and diseasesisacontinuingendeavorfor United Selections, explained manager of their Nakuru site, Jeroen van Marrewijk. Jeroen confidently promotes the benefits of reducing chemical inputs on their flowers by adopting bio-intensive IPM programmes. “The quality in terms of growth and health of the crop is nowmuchimprovedandallowsthe full characteristics of our selections to be displayed. We are using biological controls in all stages of production,fromthebreedinghouseto the propagation area and the show houses. On the Equator, pests and diseasepressurecanbemuchhigher as there is no winter to knock down the populations. By using compatiblechemicalswithbio-control–we benefit from better looking plants.

Beauty without the Beast!” |||

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Orchids

‘ The exclusivity of the orchid has gone’ Duckitt Nurseries in Darling in the Western Cape region of South Africa is one of the biggest orchid nurseries in the southern hemisphere.

This revealing interview gives deeper insight into South Africa’s orchid business that involves huge pressure to maintain forward momentum.

by Marc van Sittert

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part from a primary preoccupation with the wholesale production of cut Cymbidium stems that are sold to clients in Holland, Italy, Asia and the United States, they also supply potted orchids to the local market and have open days and other marketing and promotional events from time to time, well patronized by South Africans,situatedastheyareenroute to the picturesque Namaqualand region,famedworldwideforitsmagnificent floral displays in winter.

Why so overly Cymbidium-centric?

Started in 1979, Duckitt Nurseries today covers a production area of nearly 6ha. Floraculture International spoke to Wilfred Duckitt (co-owner with his brother, Nicolas) and asked him about his experience as a South African producerandexporterofflowering orchid stems.

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

The first question that comes to mind when appraising Duckitt Nurseries against the backdrop of the global orchid trade, in an orchid world that has shifted from a Cymbidium dominance a decade or two ago towards a preponderance of Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum and Cattleya, is why is Duckitt Nurseries still so overtly Cymbidium-centric?

“It works in our climate. Plain and simple. We have the seasonal temperature drop required to induce the flowering stems so it just works as a production,” said Wilfred Duckitt.

We asked him whether he could hazard a guess as to how many hectares of South African orchid production exist? “I have no idea and those figures, even were they available, can be deceptive. In South Africa one finds a lot of smaller concerns that grow almost nothing but merely import orchid

plants, mostly from the Far East, and there’s no growing as such as the plants come in pre-induced and the grower will sit on them for 3 - 6 weeks until they flower and then they’re gone. Sold. At Duckitt Nurseries, we have 5.5ha under exclusive Cymbidium production.”

Labour is a big issue

Orchid production at any stage has a global reputation of being labour intensive and Duckitt Nurseries is no exception employing about fifty people on the production side. “Labour costs have become an issue. Absolutely,” said Wilfred.

When asked about the rise in recent times, anticipating perhaps a hike fromawagebillconsumingaround 5% of turnover years ago to around 15%, Wilfred commented, “It’s way more than 15% now, that I can tell you. It’s expensive. It’s too high.

Against that backdrop, however, mechanization is also problematic.

It’s an easy comparison if you look at, let’s say for example, Aalsmeer.

There a grower can go down the street and find five companies that will supply the mechanization he needs for his set up. Here in South Africa any desire to mechanize entails probably one person that you’re dealing with - a limited, one man show - and weeks for delivery.

We’reheadingtowardsatheoretical desire to mechanize as the wage bill increases yet absolutely have to acknowledge the challenges mechanization will pose. On the broad logistical issue, we need to optimize logistics to make labour affordable. Not great. We end up with one part of the business subsidizinganotherpart.That’snot ideal. Labour has become, let me say, very expensive. This business involves huge pressure to maintain forward momentum.”

No longer cashing in on exclusivity alone

On the subject of other current, key industry issues that are impacting on the short term outlook for Duckitt Nurseries, perhaps climate, healthy plant material availability, transportation costs or environmentallygrownorchidsand, also, perhaps consumer demand versus the risk of consumers getting tired of seeing the same orchids over and over again, Wilfred offered the following, “Well.... That’s a big subject that involves a number of things. I do want to say that it would help if the world’s economy would spend more on Cymbidium stems than on Phalaenopsis plants or cut flowers per se. If you go into a hotel it’s always very fleeting bouquets or orchids in pots. I don’t think people realize you can get six weeks from a cut Cymbidium stem. Also, the orchid was a special product twenty years ago. I think the ‘exclusivity’ of the orchid has gone in some sense and we can no longer cash in on that.”

A 6-week window of opportunity

Started many moons ago by the brothers’ mother, Duckitt Nurseries has decades of growth and trading under the belt and is a

Wilfred Duckitt.

truly global competitor. Asked to outline a few details of their export trade, Wilfred said, “Our clients are essentially based in Western and Eastern Europe, Asia and the United States. We basically have dedicated clients who will take our product because they know and favour it, albeit only within a window of opportunity lasting around six weeks in a year.”

Only six weeks? “Yes. The

opposition and by opposition I mean local growers and by local I mean anyone who ships a lesser distance than we have to reach our clients, as well as truly local European growers, has become pronounced. For about ten and a half months our usually dedicated clients become, for all intents and purposes, self-sufficient. Buyers will then very often first buy flowers that have traveled less as

>>>

South African Orchid Council When asked about the role of the South African Orchid Council in the industry, Wilfred said, “There is a big difference between most council participants and wholesale growers. Of course, the association needs large growers or sponsors to participate and provide decor in terms of copious amounts of flowers at shows and so on, but we’re different. In terms of appraisal of what’s on show, there is always going to be the enthusiast or ‘owner’ of orchids at society shows. That person, the hobbyist, can afford to spend time presenting individual plants and making them look phenomenal for the love of it. But we have to meet the bottom line. I think it’s the difference between wholesalers and end users. The council members, hobbyist associations and general enthusiasts don’t contribute anything to annual export volumes. That said, there are some spectacular growers with local niche markets but, again, they are not wholesale growers in a comparative sense, or are very small growers at best. In South Africa there are wholesalers and those who dabble in orchids primarily for their own enjoyment and, occasionally, for some financial reward, but nothing major.

Not a production house of any scale. A lot of “wholesalers” are mail order online stores or, rather, that is their principal source of income, so their genuine growing facilities and capabilities are really quite modest.”

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Orchids the assumption is that there is less mechanical damage done to stems that travel shorter distances. It may happen that a society wedding or other event is taking place and there is a sudden demand for green orgreentoneflowersandthenwe’ll sell lots of green if we have them, in spite of being out of that brief window, but local growers - those closer to our clients - have changed things drastically over the last ten years. Of course, there’s a limit to how far they can go as the more they manipulate the seasons and close our window the higher their energy costs become, so it has to peak somewhere and then cease.

We are pretty much in our routine of that six week window though, but are hoping to expand it. The devaluation of the Russian Ruble will also affect potential trade to Russia, however we hope to continue developing that market.”

Prospects for the trade?

Are there any South African species or varieties coming up as prospects for the trade? “We do a lot of researchonanddevelopmentofany numberoforchidspeciesincluding South African orchids but, then again, I would say not really South African species but African species, yes. For example, Ansellia africana occurs in the wild in South Africa but is also found all the way up to the south of Sudan so, is it South African? But we do a lot of looking, yes, yet it’s premature to talk about great South African orchids coming on line any time soon. It’s premature. Disa (uniflora) is of course a beautiful South African plant and has huge potential as a pot plant. Ansellia as a genus. has potential as a hanging bowl subject. It is really an amazing hanging plant. But it’s all still at a developmentalstage,”Wilfredsaid.

A truly world class outfit

All in all, it’s clear that Duckitt Nuseries has no comparable competitor in South Africa at this stage and that their dedication to Cymbidium, which they are constantly seeking to breed into a more glamorous and simultaneously hardier and easier

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

crop,servesthemextremelywellin termsofrefiningaproductoffering and demonstrating the value of their offering.

“Their flowering stems are amazinglybeautifulandsomewhat larger than life, with an array of coloursandhuesthatspeakofyears of dedication to the Cymbidium orchid. A truly world class outfit,” enthused Wilfred adding that better customer service is high on the agenda for the years to come. “More products, with an infrastructure that can deliver rapidcomesandresponsestothose customers that results in an overall reliability being generated. We are reliable to our clients and we can rely on their custom. It will all mean better profits.” |||

Brexit Following the vote

by UK citizens to leave the EU we are now in a period of uncertainty before the full implications are understood. It remains in the interest of both the UK and other EU countries to retain good trading relationships and eventually a trade agreement of some kind will be reached. What cannot be known at this stage is what will and won’t be included in these negotiations and the impact that this will have on the trade in horticulture.

Brexit delayed?

Uncertainty rules I

n the short term the main impact will be from the change intheexchangeratebetweenthe poundandtheeuro.Thepoundhas weakenedfollowingtheBrexitvote.

If this continues, then over a period of time the UK may seek to reduce its import of plants and flowers from the EU and increase home production.

But, in reality the UK has lost much of its production base for cut flowers and other aspects like energy and labour costs still make an increase in glasshouse production of ornamentals in the UK unlikely. Growers of outdoor container plants may lose some export trade to the UK. However, exchange rates always do fluctuate and it may be that this is just a short-term shock.

New relationship model

by Tim Briercliffe, Secretary General, AIPH

Growers and importers/exporters cannot make strategic decisions based on what we know so far. The UK is a net importer of flowers, bulbs, trees and ornamental plants by a significant margin so, in theory, this should mean that the EU will argue to maintain the current situation for trading in these products. However, the reality is that it is unlikely that this small subset of UK/EU trade will be given special treatment so the outcome will depend on an overall trade deal.

The content of any overall trade deal will depend on the degree of flexibility shown by both sides on the other aspects that are of such critical concern to the UK. These relate to the free-movement of citizens and EU regulation.

Undoubtedly the main reason why the UK voted to leave the EU was becauseoftheperceptionthatfreemovement has taken immigration

to unacceptably high levels and that this will get more severe in the future, further threatening employment and living standard prospects for UK citizens. The final trade agreement achieved will depend on whether a compromise can be reached on this issue.

It is unlikely that an arrangement, such as that with Norway, which gives free trade access but also ties them in to free-movement and EU regulations,wouldbeacceptableto the UK. The Swiss model is also not very smooth for the EU so it seems that a new relationship model will be required with the UK. Despite the way the vote went, the reality for UK horticulture is that access to labour from outside the UK has become critical for businesssuccess.Manyhorticultural producers in the UK rely heavily on a workforce sourced from other countries like Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, etc. These workers are willing to work hard for wages and conditions that are not tolerated by many UK citizens. Any reduction in access to this labour supply will certainly increase labour costs for UK growers and reduce productivity.

The process of harmonisation for pesticides across the EU has also led to the loss of many pesticides which, outside of the EU, the UK may have decided to keep.

Also, the rules affecting the use of pesticides on ornamental crops may be different. The UK could also choose to take a more targeted approach to regulating Invasive Non Native Species so avoidingtheproblemofplantsthat are problems in other countries, for climatic reasons, being unnecessarilybannedorcontrolled in the UK. However, although the UK government will be reviewing the EU rules it wants to keep and lose there has been no indication that these regulations, introduced for environmental protection, will be withdrawn. The reality is that environmental NGOs will lobby hardagainstanysuchchangesand the responsible UK government department – Defra – is simply not resourcedtomanagesuchachange in a short period of time. The EU coulddemandthatenvironmental protection rules are part of any trade deal so we really do not know yet which way this will go.

Reducing regulatory burden

Plant health

One area where the UK may want to develop tighter legislation relates to plant health. The outbreak of Chalara fraxinea (Ash dieback) in 2012 frustrated UK government who were prevented fromintroducing‘Australian-style’ biosecurity controls due to EU rules.Theprotectionofnativetrees is a major concern in the UK and tighter import controls for plants wouldundoubtedlyfollowanother pest or disease outbreak that threatened the environment. This would have major implications for

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September 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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One more positive opportunity for UK horticulture exists if the UK government chooses to retract some of the legislative burden introduced as a result of EU rules. Some of the environmentally-basedlegislationfrom the EU has reduced UK horticultural productivity, arguably without a corresponding environmental benefit. Examples include controls on pesticides and the recent ban on neonicotinoid pesticides that, according to the UK government, is not based on sound science.

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Brexit EU countries exporting to the UK but in turn may strengthen the UK’s own production base.

Again, whether or not the UK could take action like this depends on the trade deal it strikes.

There are also implications for scientific research and promotional campaigns with the potential exclusion of the UK from accessing EU research andpromotionalfunds.Butthat also depends on how a future UK government chooses to allocate its new budget after it ceases to contribute financially to the EU.

PVR

There will be an impact on the registration of Plant Variety Rights (PVR). These rights are enforced in the UK mainly through the European system.

Without this then many varieties could be unprotected in the UK unless the UK system was used separately with its associated additional costs.

Without a trade deal the UK will find itself subject to tariffs, although for ornamental horticulture where UK exports are so low, this with

have minimal effect on UK producers. Likewise it could impose tariffs on imports. Being outside the EU also gives the UK the opportunity to establish new deals with non-EU countries including other major flower exporting countries.

Many possible outcomes

So there are many possible outcomes but what actually happens will depend on the nature of the trade deal that is done, EU flexibility on freemovement and the ability of the UK government to understand and manage the relatively minor interests of UK growers during negotiations that must be compressed to within a pressured two year period.

There will be many business sectors raising their concerns during this negotiation period.

To ensure the best outcome for horticultural producers, both in the UK and the rest of the EU, it is important that the industry lobbies hard, both to national governments and in Brussels, to ensure that the interests of this sector are fully taken into consideration. |||

Growers and importers/exporters cannot make strategic decisions based on what we know so far.

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

Liguria hosts a sizeable number of companies that directly export to the UK, many others sell through Dutch flower auctions.

Italian growers sound Brexit alarm

by Andrea Fassione

"The interprovincial flower district of Liguria is deeply concerned about Brexit," said the district’s chairman, Mr Luca De Michelis. "Traditionally, the UK has been one of the major export markets for Ligurian-grown ornamentals. So although the long term implications on the British economy and European unity are unclear, it is safe to say that Brexit sparks uncertainty as well as confusion on trade agreements. The real risk lies in a weakening pound and the subsequent decline of purchasing power for the British consumer.”

He added, “A falling pound will cause cheaper, lower quality products to become more popular. Brexit clouds the horizon for the ornamental horticulture industry in Liguria as a whole.”

Liguria hosts a sizeable number of companies that directly export to the UK, many others sell through Dutch flower auctions. ”The UK market is predominantly a market for mixed bouquets which are sold in supermarkets. Nevertheless, there are also high-end florists who always show strong interest in our winter production of cut flowers. In

regards to cut flowers, the UK has always been a very traditional market, but lately there have been interesting growth prospects for potted plants," said District director, Alessandro Lanteri.

"Brexit is also a heavy blow to the financial and currency markets around the world and this could have a major impact on the world economy. We call for vigilance and unity, addressing our message to the relevant European and Italian institutions. We also ask them to support our industry which after years of economic crisis was just starting to rebound." |||

A risk of unsettling global flower business In an ever increasingly competitive and global business environment, the news of the outcome of last summer’s referendum on UK’s membership of the EU has hit particularly hard companies operating in the trade and distribution of cut flowers and plants on the European market.

With a market share of around €1 billion and as the second largest import market for floricultural products, the UK is a major destination for suppliers and traders based in the EU (the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Denmark and Belgium in particular), but also in Kenya, Colombia, South Africa, Turkey, Israel and Morocco. The diverse range of businesses contributing to the overall supply of floriculture products to the UK market have long been operating at a fully international scale and are characterized by cross-borders activities along the valuechain, heavily relying on the benefits offered by the EU single market in terms of market access conditions and harmonized rules and regulations.

“The forthcoming exit of the UK from the EU triggers many uncertainties for floriculture businesses in the EU and across the world.

Longer-term perspectives are particularly unclear at this moment as various scenarii are being envisaged for the future trade relations between the UK and its current trade partners in the EU and in the rest of the world”, said Herman de Boon, president of

Union Fleurs, the International Flower Trade Association which gathers in its membership all the major countries supplying flowers and plants to the UK market.

“The market fragmentation and the possible reinstatement of tariff and non-tariff barriers, particularly in the area of phytosanitary rules and other norms and standards, that could result from a stand-alone UK will directly impact the operations of many floriculture businesses in the EU and worldwide. For more than 50 years, Union Fleurs has stood for the free flow of floricultural products from supplying countries to consumption markets and advocated for a level-playing field along the supply-chain in the EU and the rest of the world. We will continue actively promoting seamless markets and trade in Brussels and will closely monitor the next steps in the re-designing of the UK’s trade relations with the EU and the world as they will unfold.

Many questions need answering as early as possible for businesses to adjust and absorb the aftermath of the outcome of the British referendum, which we all deeply regret,” said De Boon. |||

ZVG chairman Jürgen Mertz expresses concern Britain’s vote to leave the EU is a major blow for the European Union and one of its core policies, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Expressing his concern was Jürgen Mertz, chairman of Germany’s Federal Association of Horticulture (ZVG).

In an official statement Mertz said, “As a result of Brexit, the EU loses a fellow member that is highly committed to the horticulture industry, taking an innovative approach to agricultural policies at the European level. The EU also loses a reliable partner who shares the same values and principles.”

Mertz said that while no one can know precisely the impact of leaving the EU, it is already clear that Brexit has damaged the prospect of European integration, the idea of European unity. “Predicting the likely effect for German horticulture is difficult.

In German fruit and vegetables export, the

UK traditionally plays a limited role though export sales in 2014 and 2015 rose sharply.

German exports of ornamental plants to the UK have shown a slight decline over the past few years.”

Mertz questioned whether Brexit will have a serious impact on political decision making in agricultural and environmental matters. “Great Britain has always had the reputation as a realistic negotiator that embraces the idea of a competitive agricultural policy. In terms of plant protection and environmental protection Germany will lose a reliable partner in the EU Council.” |||

September 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Brexit Co-hosted by Green Team Consultancy+ and international florist association Florint, the Brexit Debate gathered major stakeholders from within the Dutch and British floral industry to debud the threats and thorny opportunities of Brexit. Much is at stake as plant and flower exports from the Netherlands to the UK total €925 million.

Sterling’splungingvalue means costlier flowers for Post Brexit UK

I

n his welcome address, the chairman of the British Florist Association, Brian Wills-Pope admitted Brexit had taken him by surprise. “Remain and leave were neck-and-neckandeventuallyBritain voted to leave by a 52 percent to 48 percent margin only.”

He pointed out how immigration fueled the Brexit result, which toppled a prime minister, leading to Theresa May becoming the new prime minister. Meanwhile, Philip Hammond, Britain’s new Chancellor of the Exchequer has ruled out an emergency budget.

Fear factor

by Ron van der Ploeg

According to Wills-Pope the ‘fear factor’ played a key role in the Brexit debate, but signaled that currently his country is attempting to get back to normal.

Should the flower industry keep calm and carry on or should it hit the panic button? “Our biggest problem is money market turbulence with leading financial institutions in Britain arguing that the British pound will hit a 1:1 exchangerateagainsttheeuro.This would make imports from the EU 10% more expensive than today,” said Wills-Pope.

Mark Ward, president of Florint, theInternationalFloristAssociation thatrepresentsover100,000florists in Europe, made the audience aware of the figures from a typical florist’s daily operation revealing interesting insights. Serving as an examplewasapremiumredNaomi Rose of 80 cm that trades with Dutch exporters on average at 1€.

“British florists would have to apply an exchange rate to this of an average of 4% commission from banks.

At parity they would see that the cost would be 1.04GBP, then when

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

Group photo with British Florist Association chairman, Brian Wills-Pope (far left) and Florint president Mark Ward (far right).

we add an extra the extra 14% in custom duties. The price would be 1.19GBP when it arrives at the florist’s shop. Currently that premium red Naomi Rose is 0,79GBP. At 1.19GBP the increase in cost price is 66%. The average sale price would then increase from 2.75GBP with VAT per rose if we take into account the average price mark up of multiplying by three without VAT, to 4.25GBP (incl. VAT). This is an increase in price of some 55% to your customer,” Ward said.

Elasticity of demand

Speaking of VAT, Mike Bourguignon, who is part of his family’s florist business based in Madrid and Florint’s Association Manager, outlined how Florint has closely followed increases in prices due to VAT, with Spain being the latest example. “In 2012, the Spanish governmentincreasedtheVATrate from a reduced rate of 8% to the normal rate of 21% for flowers and plants, an increase of 13%. In 2015, together with a coordinated effort with our Spanish member AEFI, flowersandplantswentbackdown

to the reduced rate which is now 10%. Our Spanish member saw thattherewasadecreaseindemand due to this increase in price of 27%.”

The research institutes Florint works with have looked at the percentage change in price and thepercentagechangeindemand, called ‘elasticity of demand’ amongst economists. “In flowers and plants it has traditionally been 1.6%, so a 1% change in price would change demand by 1.6%.

In the Spanish case it was 2.45%.

Taking a midway point of 2%, we can see that this change in price for the UK would be disastrous for all florists and would clearly affect our industry.”

Brutal competition from supermarkets

Other key issues affecting the UK floristry business are last year’s increases in the National Minimum Wage (NMW), flexible working requestsandtheongoingpensions automatic enrolment switchover.

Adding to the misery is the brutal competition from supermarkets

(that already rack up 65% of plant and flower sales) and subscription box flowers that batter British florists across the country.

Wills-Pope, however, warned there’s a risk to ‘talk ourselves into recession’. In a bloom-instead-ofgloomapproachhepointedtothe UK’s low inflation, falling unemployment and strong foreign direct investment with the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant in Somerset.

This project involves Chinese and Frenchinvestorsandisexpectedto provide not only 7% of the UK’s total electricity but also 25,000 employmentopportunities.Atthe time of the debate, Wills-Pope of course wouldn’t have known that the plans to build the plant would suffer an unexpected delay on July 29 after the new government postponed a final decision until early autumn.

IMF

Henk van Ginkel, official government representative for the VBN (the Dutch Flower Auctions Association) in Brussels, shone a light ontheEuropeanpoliticalperspective of Brexit. For Van Ginkel there is no doubt the economic changes that Brexit brings will deeply affect the flower market.

“Recently the IMF adjusted down itsglobalgrowthforecastthisyear and next by just 0.1 percentage point, to 3.1% and 3.4% respectively, predicting that the UK economy specifically will expand 1.7 percent this year, 0.2 percentage points less than forecast in April, Next year, the nation’s growth will slow to 1.3 percent, down 0.9 point from the April estimate and considered the ‘biggest reduction among advanced economies’.”

Van Ginkel continued, “It’s a sad thing to say but ‘project fear’ is slowlyhappeningwithconsumers ditching spending plans.”

He went on to explain that it is now Ms. May’s responsibility to decide when to invoke Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon, which explains how an EU country might leave the Union. The paragraph gives negotiators two years from the date of Article 50 notification to make new agreements. “Will Article 50 definitely be triggered before the 2020 General Election?,” questioned Van Ginkel.

Lose-lose game

Referring to a recent report from VoteWatch Europe, the leading international non-governmental organisation tracking the votes of European politicians, Van Ginkel expectsthenorthandsouthdivide to further widen. Though the UK is the most outvoted Member State in the EU Council it has supported more than 97% of the EU laws adopted in the last 12 years,revealedVoteWatchEurope.

According to the study, the UK’s influence seems to have diminished in the European Parliament in recent years as a result of self-distancing of some of its own party delegations from the EU’s mainstream political families, as well as to the results of the latest EU elections in the UK. Nevertheless, UK MEPs have captured many powerful agenda-setting positions,suchasrapporteurships

of key EU legislation and EP committee chairmanships.

Professor Simon Hix, chairman and co-founder of VoteWatch Europe, explained that “the British opposition to EU decisions occurred especially on budget, foreign policy and foreign aid.

Nevertheless, the UK was not the most oppositional government on several important issues: the Internal Market, legal affairs, transport, environment and fisheries.”

Van Ginkel outlined VoteWatch data that shows Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark are the UK’s closest allies in the EU Council and will lose an important ally now that Brexit is a given.

He argued that the main losers of Brexit among EU’s stakeholders arethosethatpromotelessregulatory burden for EU businesses and strongerprotectionofintellectual property. “The economy will slow down, the industry will lose votes and the pound is expected to fall. My overall conclusion is that Brexit is a lose-lose game.”

Education

When asked about the role industry associations such as BFA canplayintemperinguncertainty in the floristry industry, chairman Wills-Popeproposedtrainingand education by sending students abroad in order to enrich their educationalexperience.Alsohere, the impact Brexit has is huge, added Florint president Mark

Ward. “This exchange is essential intoday’sworldwhereconsumers can find inspiration from all over the world. But travel across EU countries will become more difficult, there will be barriers for internships. With Brexit all EU funds for student internships abroad will stop. Furthermore, any projects from EU partners, like the one we are currently developing in Florint on common curriculums in floristry with a UK college, will disappear.”

Global impact

Brexit’s impact is truly a global one. Flowers are available from many countries including Kenya, Ecuador, Colombia and Israel, amongst others, but the vast majority of flowers and plants come from the EU. “The European Unionmanagedtonegotiatesome substantial foreign deals as part of the Free Trade Agreements (FTA) that they cut around the world.

If we are no longer part of the EU, we are no longer regulated by the internal market or these FTA,” said Ward. The agreements include a deal between the EU and Kenya that reduced tariffs on Kenyan flowers to zero. In October 2015, however, the EU stoppedtheEuropeanPartnership Agreement and hence applied import duties to all goods coming into the EU. “The increase of customs duties was between 4-24% on flowers. But this is a serious case that we should study as a prime example. Our prices would go up by as much as 14% on average if we use the Kenyan case,” concluded Ward. |||

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Growing media The utilization of wood components in growing media (substrates) worldwide is not a new concept. What is new, is the current interest and product development that has occurred in Europe and North America in recent years.

by * Brian E. Jackson and Neil C. Bragg

*Dr. Brian Jackson (bejacks2@ncsu.edu) is an Associate Professor and CoDirector of the Horticultural SubstratesLaboratoryinthe DepartmentofHorticultural Science at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Neil Bragg (nb@bulrush.co.uk) is Product Development Director for Bulrush Horticulture Ltd, part of the Pindstrup Group.

Commercial operations producing different wood fiber substrate materials.

Wood components lead the quest for responsible growing media S ince its inception in the 1980s-90’s, the use of wood fiber (or other wood components) has been a minor contributor as an alternative to the more traditional and accepted peat moss and pine bark materials.

Why gaining interest

There are now various reasons why wood components are gaining more interest than before. Some of the reasons include: 1) more governmental regulations on peat harvestinganduse;2)governmental subsidiesandincentivesforpeat-free materials; 3) a broader societal/ consumer focus on sustainability andpreferenceforlocalproducts;4) aneconomicopportunitytoreduce raw material transport distance, weight, and cost; 5) a more com-

mon thought from industry officials and substrate manufacturers that they cannot rely entirely on a single component such as peat as its major raw material in the long term future; and 6) a growing body of scientific data on the successful utilization of woodcomponentsingrowingmedia.

With interest and opportunity comes the need for understanding the differences in these products/­ materials and an even greater need for a systematic understanding of how wood components are manufactured and used.

ing. There are many types of machinesthatreducetrees/logsinto smaller sizes: shredders, chippers, wood hogs, shavers, etc. There are also different techniques and machinery used to further reduce thosesmallerwoodmaterials(feedstock) into various types of wood components, including extruders, disc refiners, hammer-mills, knife ring flakers, etc.

No two types or methods will yield the exact same end-product. Regardlessofthetypeofmachine/machinery used, the variables that influencetheengineeringofthewood componentshavetobeunderstood, Variables accounted for, and minimalized as There are many ways to produce wood components, and there are much as possible. As with all things even more factors that influence the “Engineered” there are standards, consistency and reproducibility of protocols,andguidelinesforhowto those components during process- successfullyreproduceaconsistent

Examples of plants grown in peat-based substrates containing 30-40% wood components.

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

by Arturo Croci

product. These principles also apply in the manufacturingofwoodsubstratematerials.

Potential substrates/components

Many tree species and wood sources have beeninvestigatedovertheyearsaspotential substrates/components. The main species used to make commercial products are Pinus, Larix, and Picea. Factors that influence the usability of a particular tree species (or wood source) include availability, abundance of resource, other competing markets for the trees, toxicity of wood,rateordegradationandbreakdown, grindability (ability to be easily processed/ engineered), etc.

Wood materials can be sourced from freshly harvested whole trees, unused tree parts remaining after timber harvest, tree pruning waste, storm debris, etc. Wood materials should not come from commercial sources like construction debris, pressurized treated lumber, etc. as those materials can contain traces of heavy metals. Diseased or insect-infected timber should also be avoided as a source of wood/forestmaterialsandinsteadbeused for other potential purposes like biofuel generation.

Sourcing and acquisition of raw wood materials is important and must be monitored so that the quality of the produced wood fiber/components remain high. Other initiatives are also being considered by some substratemanufacturerstoacquirelandfor the specific purpose of “growing their own substrate” by growing their own trees.

Wood is not wood, is not wood

Just as we know very well….peat is NOT peat, is NOT peat…..we must also learn and appreciate that wood is NOT wood, is NOT wood! The range of peat materials, fractions, sizes, and ages is extremely diverseandthesedifferentpeatsareusedin differentways.Thesamemindsetisneeded whenworkingwithwoodcomponents.Itis important that any grower or other potentialconsumer/userofsubstratescomposed of wood components, be knowledgeable about these new materials, and that they ask many questions of the manufacturer to assuretheyknowhowtobestusethewood material in their production operation.

The commercialization of wood substrate components will only increase in the near future, as will the need for more information about their utilization. Much work is beingdoneonthescientificsidetosupport this initiative! |||

Buongiorno!

Safe sale in Italy A couple of days ago, a Dutch friend asked me how he could sell to Italian customers without losing money. My answer was that things are not easy for either party.

To understand why, let’s have a quick look at the two major support systems available to the Dutch private sector. Dutch public law prescribes compulsory membership of the Chamber of Commerce. But until a few years ago Dutch flower and plant exporters were also forced to be members of the now-abolished Dutch Agricultural Wholesale Board, BGB. Under the BGB ruling exporters were required to report their exports on a daily basis with accompanying invoices.

What’s more, they had to fill in a report detailing whether or not customers had paid. All this data formed the backbone of the BGB’s overall accounts receivable system providing its members real-time insight into the financial health of their customers at home and abroad.

Now that the BGB is gone the Dutch floral wholesale trade has to solve cash collection problems on its own. The only safe way is to insure goods, but apart from the cost that erodes profit margins, access to credit has been reduced because of too many delinquent customers.

Why is the credit of Italian importers so low? First of all, floral wholesale businesses in Italy, for fiscal reasons, are under-capitalized. Almost all of them are capped at no more than €10,000. Secondly, high capital companies are mostly structured companies, but are often the least functional and indebted ones such as bankrupted Ciccolella and Floramiata. A third reason is that many structured Italian companies have a good share of capital and thus have credit. Lastly, exporters that continue to sell to problem buyers, are perfectly aware of the risk involved but take it for granted as goods can be insured.

So they continue to bring large volumes onto the market which fuels the mechanism of low pricing.

So how on earth is it possible to distinguish the good from the bad? Some Dutch companies take the founding date of a company or the number of years the VAT number has been active as guidelines. Those parameters however are not a guarantee of the trustworthiness of a company. Yesterday a company was ‘good’, today this may no longer be the case. And those selling their plants and flowers without insuring them (which is expensive) take an awful lot of risk.

In Italy, the tax rules will not change anytime soon so companies will continue to stay under-capitalized. If Dutch exporters are really wanting to do more business in Italy, they will have to change their procedures and that is not easy.

They need to go the extra mile by getting to know their customers and the market. Exporters need a dense network of acquaintances and ‘messengers’ (most frequently transport companies are very well informed) and alertness.

Every market has its peculiarities and its particular rules. No exporters, whether Dutch or Italian, or of any nationality for that matter can be so presumptuous as to dictate and subject their clients to their own rules.

Viva la vita

Arturo Croci is the founder of Italy's leading horticultural business magazine Flortecnica and a walking encyclopedia of Italian horticulture. arturo@floracultureinternational.com

September 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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China Cheap labour is not everything.

The German toy manufacturer Steiff came to this harsh realisation some years ago. The company stopped its teddy bear production in China because many of its toys produced there did not meet their high-quality standards. So what about the situation in the horticultural industry which also needs highly qualified people to produce, especially in the seed business?

China's seed business: proceed with caution O

riental Seeds B.V., based in Maasbree in the Netherlands, is a company that has been producing seeds in China for more than 20 years.

It was founded in 1993 by Theo Cuppen and Altai Lin, two men with many years of experience in the seed business. They also founded Inova Seeds in China in 1993. Altai Lin, who is originally from Taiwan, has his office in Jiayuquan in the Northwest-China province of Gansu, where Inova Seeds does its production. Oriental Seeds in Europe is the business partner for the customers.

Climatic support and opposition

by Anke B체hrmann

The Gansu region is renowned for seed production, especially for flowers and vegetables. The area stretches between Mongolia in the North and the Tibetan plateau in the South. Rainfall amounts in Gansu are very low, in average only 80 mm (3.2 inches) a year, but there is enough water from a nearby

Hendrikx pointed out that the farmers they work with are very qualified and experienced because the Gansu region has a long tradition in growing vegetables.

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

Focusing more on quality than quanity.

mountain range for irrigation, according to Paul Hendrikx, account manager for Oriental Seeds.

The region has a constant high light intensity, also in winter. Summer temperatures are 25-30째 Celsius and about 15째 Celsius at night while the winter temperatures can be as low as -35째 Celsius. These cold winters are ideal regarding the phytosanitary conditions because they are unfavourable for many insects and pathogens.

On the other hand, the long cold season, from October until late March can also create problems with the production because the summer season is relatively short.

Inova Seeds applies different strategies to ensure that the seeds have time to ripen properly, e.g. several systems of early sowing and transplanting and special greenhouses that can store the warmth from the winter sun for heating during the night.

Hendrikxexplainedthattheunique geographicalandclimaticaspectsof

The Gansu region is renowned for seed production, especially for flowers and vegetables.

theregionoffermanyadvantages for seed production, including a variety of microclimates due to the variation in altitudes which allows for the production of seeds of many different species. One obstacle of growing seed crops in this unique area, however, is that there are import and export requirements from the national authorities that can be very strict and are not always clear.

Ensuring IP protection

Inova Seeds uses different strategiestoensuretheprotection of genetic material. The company does not engage in any breeding or seed trading, and in addition to working with a very reliable team, the company has created several practicalsolutionstoprotecttheir ideas, ranging from producing

male lines separate from female lines via producing the male lines on their own farms, to distribution ofmaleflowersfromotherareas,to importing male pollen instead of sowing the male lines in China.

Hendrikx pointed out that the farmers they work with are very qualifiedandexperiencedbecause the Gansu region has a long tradition in growing vegetables.

The fact that Inova Seeds’ head office is based there is also a big advantage to ensure quality. In addition, the company advisers are living close to the farms and thus can visit very often. These trusted advisors give instructions tothefarmers,followingstrictcrop specificprotocols,andmonitorthe production process in a detailed way. Another system to ensure quality is the size of the farms

there. The typical farm is very small – only 2,000 to 3,350 square meters. The farmers can make a living on these small homesteads when they focus more on quality than quantity. |||

The seed business is a primary example of precision farming.

What about China’s vegetable seed market?

With an estimated size of US$17 billion, China is the largest crop seed market after the United States. Roughly 50 percent of the market is held by foreign companies. The state-owned companies that are active in the market largely sell old varieties of specific vegetables, although these have begun to develop new varieties in recent years.

Since the 1980s, Chinese research institutes have begun to sell seed varieties to local farmers as well. More recently, private seed companies have rapidly started sprouting up. As such, from the supply side the market is fragmented into over 5000 small players. For foreign companies looking to break into the Chinese market, some of these would make for interesting take-over targets.

Source: Dezan Shira & Associates, China Briefing.

September 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Marketing Consumer color preferences are deeply rooted in emotional responses that seem to lack any rational basis, yet the powerful influence of color is hard to deny. This is especially true in the floral industry where purchases not only reflect interior design color trends but also personal messages associated with gift giving.

This article from the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) takes a look at the importance and meaning behind color in the Western Hemisphere.

PMA and FCI: co-sharing content

Color affects mood, behavior in marketing W

e all know that color is a catalyst for affecting mood and behavior in marketing. In fact, numerous studies confirm the correlations between colors and behavior to aid marketers in engaging consumers and ultimately into buying their products. (Keri, The Science of Colors in Marketing and Web Design) Here are some quick facts about color (Jill Morton): •9 2.6 % of survey respondents state visual factors are most important when purchasing products.(SecretariatoftheSeoul International Color Expo 2004) • People make a judgment about a product within 90 seconds of initial viewing - Between 62% and 90% of assessment is based on color.

(CCICOLOR - Institute for Color Research) -C olor increases brand recognition by 80% (Source: University of Loyola, Maryland study)

Fancy colour names are preferred While a large majority of consumers prefer color patterns with similar hues, they favor palettes with a highly contrasting accent color. In terms of color, this would mean creating a visual structure consisting of base similar colors and contrasting them with accent complementary colors or tertiary colors. The names of colors matters as well. Fancy color names are preferred. For example, mocha was found to be significantly more likable than brown. The more unusual and unique color names can increase the intent to purchase.

(Aesthetic Response to Color Combinations)

-A ds in color are read 42% more often than the same ads in black and white Colors enhance the appearance of merchandising and influence

consumer behavior making it critical to consider the impact of the colors we use on our target audience. For example, fast food restaurants decorate with vivid

Image credit: KISSmetrics

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

HappyGardening

by Anthony Tesselaar

redsandorangestoencouragedinersto eat quickly and leave. Color also affects shopping habits. Impulse shoppers respond best to red-orange, black and royal blue while those who plan to stick to their budgets respond best to pink, teal, light blue and navy. Traditionalists respond to pastels: pink, rose, sky blue.

Could there be good in Brexit?

Great Britain’s decision to step away from the EU has given us all not only the new word ‘Brexit’, but the question – what happens next? The reality is, of course we don’t know.

Thanks to the fact that no country has ever left the EU before now, everyone is facing an unknown.

(June Campbell, The Psychology of Color in Marketing)

Colors have different meanings for different cultures, so the preferences of your target audience should be considered when you plan your design.

While different cultures hold different associations for many colors, the Western meanings are becoming more universal as markets become global.

Personal preference, experiences, upbringing, cultural differences, context, etc., often affect how people respond to colors. (Gregory Ciotti) Blue is the most popular color for men and women.

Women list purple as a top-tier color, but men do not list purple as a favorite color. Additional research on color preferences show that when it comes to shades, tints and hues, men seem to prefer bold colors while women prefer softer colors. Also, men were more likely to select shades of colors as their favorites (colors with black added), whereas women were more receptive to tints of colors (colors with white added):

For anyone who does business across this soon to be re-established trade boundary between Great Britain and the EU, it is an unsettling time. But I suggest perhaps not as catastrophic or negative as the current popular conversation would have us believe. It’s a fact that the process of exiting from the EU is still being explored - both the when and how. And I believe that sweating in fear over unknown details is a waste of energy when there are more productive steps which could be taken.

No matter how the actual Brexiting takes place, it is just another form of change, in the same way change happens in business all the time.

Competition pops up. Clients shift allegiances. The financial environment alters. In fact, most of the time we aren’t too distressed by change – it’s all part of being in business - but with Brexit, it’s been thrown up in front of us so loomingly, no-one has been allowed to think about it in terms other than negative. But I believe wherever there is change there is opportunity…

It’s as if a loaded truck is heading down the highway towards Britain and suddenly there’s a sign warning that there may be pot-holes ahead. So everyone slows down and starts to dodge around. Brexit is a moment when we’re all being forced to slow down and dodge around, in other words, to take stock of our business. We should thank Brexit for making us look closely at the way we currently operate against what might happen over the next five years. We should be asking ourselves, where are our strengths: in products and services; in markets? Are there opportunities to adjust these, to capitalize on a changing business environment? These are the obvious questions: there are many, many others we can all be asking, no matter which side of the continent you are on..

But perhaps the simplest question we could ask ourselves at this point is, could we be doing anything better? Of course the answer to this is always yes. One of our growers gave me this quirky but appropriate you-can-dobetter snippet from a business development seminar he’s just been to. In the 1950s in racing, Ferrari took 58.3 seconds to change tires in a pit stop, whereas today they do it in around 2.5 seconds. It’s a lovely image: you have to change to stay in the race (or in business).

As for the photo (above), which I took a few weeks ago in San Diego on a work trip, it’s my attempt at a visual metaphor. This motor home is so bedazzlingly encrusted you almost forget that it’s a motorhome. Brexit is so befuddlingly presented in terms of doom and gloom that we might not see the opportunities that lie waiting for us.

Anthony Tesselaar hails from Anthony Tesselaar International, an international project management company dealing in plants, horticultural research & development and strategic water management. www.tesselaar.com / ATesselaar@tesselaar.com

Image credit: The Logo Company

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Greenhouse technology Helping to improve the skills and knowledge of their customers from as far afield as Kazakhstan and fostering partnerships between industry professionals, Dutch greenhouse manufacturer Bom Group hosted a business networking breakfast at their new headquarters in Hoek van Holland, The Netherlands on Friday June 17.

Sjaak Bakker emphasised that sustainable management of land and water is more crucial than ever in order to carry on delivering a productive greenhouse industry.

(Photo credits: Rolf van Koppen)

Protected cropping allows to produce more crop per drop I

by Ron van der Ploeg

n his welcome address, Bom Group’s new chief executive Mike Vermeij looked back at theachievementsthecompanyhas made since its foundation by one of thegreenhouseindustry’sgreatest innovators, Piet Bom. Vermeij stated he is extremely proud of Bom Group’s continued innovation and growth with no fewer than 58 million square metresofgreenhousesbuiltoverthe past fifty years. He mentioned the first ever wind-resistant greenhouse from 1974, the eight metre truss greenhouse, the aluminium gutter which made its debut at the 1982 NTV show, which has now becomethestandardingreenhouse construction, and the ABS screening system first launched in 1994 and more recently the SunergyKas

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

greenhouse 2.0 from 2012. The latest innovation is the company’s screeningsysteminaW-formation, featuring two cloths with a minimal 6 cm distance between each other to minimize shading. A revolutionaryenergyscreeningsystemis to be revealed in 2017.

Key challenges

Sjaak Bakker, manager of the GreenhouseHorticultureResearch and Development Centre at Wageningen University, highlighted the cooperationbetweenWageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture in Bleiswijk and Wageningen and suppliers to the commercial horticulture industry as well as the horticultural engineering companies.

Bakker said that food security, climate change, biodiversity, bio-

economy and food and health are the five key challenges facing global greenhouse crop production companies over the next decades.

Intrinsically linked to these global challenges are two of the most important production factors, land and water (according to the OECD, farming is responsible for 70% of water used in the world today) with Bakker emphasizing that sustainable management of both is more crucial than ever in order to carry on delivering a productive greenhouse industry and to ensure water can be shared with others and maintain the environmental benefits of water systems worldwide. With this in mind protected cropping offers many benefits to horticultural

production such as a 15% higher water use efficiency.

Due to a rapidly growing world population, urbanization, intensive farming and climate change, there will be a growing shortage of fresh water. Bakker gave the exampleofAbuDhabiwheresupplies are now running dry at an alarming rate with ancient fossil waterreservesexpectedtodryout in 40 years.

result is a substantial energy saving, which, depending on the initial position, may reach 30 to 40%, says Bom Group.

Having gone through different developmentstages,wheredifferent solutions were developed, iterated and tested, the SunergyKas 2.0 greenhouse is now finalized and launched at Lans Tomatoes with an energy use of 20m3/m2 and a production of 75 kg tomato/m2.

Trends in worldwide agriculture

HI-LED

Analysing the current state and other trends in worldwide agriculture, Bakker mentioned a roboticrevolution,urbanfarming, IntegratedPestManagementand the reduction of CO2 emissions as growing trends. He also sees a clear trend in self-sufficiency in food with countries such as Russia, China and Saudi Arabia wanting to be less reliant on food imports, while modern economies evolve from a fossil-fuel to a biobased economy.

Global energy prices expected to keep rising

Though gas prices are still relatively stable in the Netherlands, thebadnewsisthatglobalenergy prices are expected to keep rising, directlyaffectinggrowers’energy bills. Bakker said Wageningen UR addresses energy issues in greenhousehorticultureinmultiple ways.

In 2006, for example, they teamedupwithgreenhousemanufacturer Bom Group, a fruitful partnership which resulted in the firsteverSunergyKasgreenhouse, designed to obtain the greatest possible light transmission. Over the past few years, the concept has been retooled which resulted in SunergyKas 2.0. This next generation semi-closed greenhouse dehumidifies greenhouse air in a controlled way in order to allow heat to be recovered. In the winter, with roof vents remaining closed, it is possible to keep the energy screen closed for much longer, so that no moisture gap is needed. In the summer, heat can be ‘harvested’ with this greenhouse and stored in aquifers. The

Speaking of light, Bakker referred to the HI-LED business research consortium including members of different disciplines such as the art industry, the health sector and the horticulture industry. This EU projectaimsatdevelopingadvanced LED modules to provide optimal lightingsolutionsfordifferentapplications.Bakkeraddedthatgenerally speaking greenhouse horticulture is not very high on Brussels’ agenda withaccesstofundingstreamsbeing difficult. As such, participating in this research consortium makes applyingforresearchsupportsomewhat easier. “It is not only about smart technologies but also about being smart in getting access to EU funds,” said Bakker.

Bom Group’s new chief executive Mike Vermeij stated he is extremely proud of Bom Group’s continued innovation and growth.

(Photo credits: Rolf van Koppen)

squaremetergreenhousecropsyield considerablymoreversusoutdoors.

One of the university’s flagship projects is Estidamah, the world’s second largest research and demonstration greenhouse complex in Riyadh’s Techno Valley in Saudi Arabia. The 8500m2 greenhouses and laboratory will serve to increase water use efficiency in the greenhouseproductionoffruitsand vegetables.

Winter Light Glasshouse

In northern latitudes, plant growth canbesuppressedwhenlightinthe winter is not sufficiently available.

Currently under construction in Bleiswijk is the Winter Light Glasshouse (Winterlichtkas), a partnership of Wageningen UR, Bom Group, Svensson, Bayer Cropscience and Glascom Horticulture, where light levels during the winter will be maximized by glazing it with SmartGlass that is said to transmit 10 percent more light to the crop.

Responding to questions from the audience Bakker warned against confusing the diffusing glass from the old days with today’s diffuse glass, the first one having a much lower overall light transmission than the traditional blank glass.

Today’s diffuse glass has a light transmission that is at least equal to that of traditional glass with lightbeingdistributedmoreevenly among the plants and penetrating deeper into all crops. Bakker added that by using the diffuse glass 2.0 ‘hot spots’ in crops can be avoided as the plant temperature at the top of the crop in direct sunlight is lower than under traditional float glass. |||

International university community

Wageningen University comprises a truly international university community, promoting its research globally and enhancing knowledge transfer through international engagements. But not all sustainable greenhouse production environments are equal with Bakker distinguishing three classifications: low tech companies (soil-bound productionpassiveventilation),mid tech companies (soilless cultivation, controlled environment) and high tech enterprises (LEDs, diffuse glass, robotics) with the low tech level responsible for 95% of the companies worldwide. Low tech technology is cheap but even the most basic greenhouse can lead to notable productionincreases.UsingWageningenUR’smodel-basedgreenhouse designs, growers in Indonesia have built a low-cost passive greenhouse in tropical lowlands. Photos taken insidethegreenhouseshowhowper

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Conference The University of Amsterdam’s Science Park was the host site for the Greenport Holland conference on May 30. The event brought the European Union to a wide range of stakeholders from within the horticultural industry, giving them the opportunity to hear about the latest policy and programme developments and to discuss what Brussels means for the Dutch horticultural industry.

How to turn mammoth tanker into a speed boat?

W

hen you think of harvest time and dirty hands, swelteringgreenhouses and sweaty t-shirts, the University of Amsterdam is probably the last thing that pops into your head. But the esteemed university was the chosen venue for the academicconferenceonthesubject, Harvesting time!

Harvesting time in Brussels, to be more precise, with Dutch horticulturesupposedlyreapingthe rewards from cooperation with the European Union. Fact or fiction?

That was the key- question which conference attendees, a mix of horticulturalindustryprofessionals and civil servants, tried to answer.

Using their wifi-enabled smartphones conference the audience was invited to comment and vote on a series of statements with all conversations appearing on the screen in real time. The contrast between the speed and functionality of the new Buzzmasterconferenceinteractivity tool and the slow moving, inefficientwheelsofbureaucracyin Brussels couldn’t be any bigger.

Small talk in EU’s corridors

by Ron van der Ploeg

As such, horticulture lobbyist, Eveline Herben, based in Brussels, aptly compared the three central legislative institutions of the European Union – the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union – with a mammoth tanker. Whereas in her home country of The Netherlands, lobbyinginTheHague’sParliament is fast like a speedboat.

Dutch horticulture is a global trendsetter and the undisputed international market leader in flowers, plants, bulbs and propagation material. A quarter of the world’s trade in horticultural products (24%) is in Dutch hands.

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

Holland has a 52% share of the worldwide trade in floricultural products. And in 2014 the Netherlandswastheworld’ssecond largest exporter (in value) of fresh vegetables. The country exported vegetables with a market value of 7.8 billion US dollars.

For all the impressive data provided by Holland Compared 2016, Horticultural Holland is small talk in the corridors of the EU’s labyrinth headquarters in Brussels and Strasbourg. The current European Parliament, for example, consists of 751 MP’s of which a mere 25 (!) are Dutch. This in comparison with the UK, a country that has 72 citizens in the Parliament. Herben advised industry members to join forces with their peers and have their voices heard by joining an industry association. One single voice for the industry will clearly benefit efficient, strategic decision making. “Lobbying in Brussels is like chess. And we don’t want the pieces on the board to be run over unexpectedly,” she said.

Health benefits

Europe has an awful lot to offer Dutch horticulture, Herben

argued,highlightingtheEU’ssingle market and its tangible benefits.

Brussels is also a treasure-trove of knowledge and an important source of public/private financing for innovation. Horizon 2020 for example is the biggest EU research and innovation programme ever with nearly €80 billion of EU funding available between 2014 and 2020.

Royal FloraHolland’s Gijs Kok, speaking for Greenport Holland, acknowledges the little bit of jealousy he feels when he thinks of the privileged position in regards to easier access to EU funding.

“I guess the agriculture industry experiencestotallydifferentthings.”

The horticultural industry has so many exciting things to share but no one is shouting from the rooftops in Brussels. Are EU bureaucratswell-enoughinformed, Kok questioned.

“There’s no disputing our industry plays a prominent role as an economic leader, job creator and major exporter, but it might be time to present the industry from a different angle. Above all, growing horticultural products provide health benefits. Not only by eating them but also by using

them in our indoor and outdoor environment. Plants improve the air quality, but are also a useful tool to reduce the urban heat island effect. There’s a great story to tell and Brussels should be prouder of working with our sector,” said Kok.

World champion in agriculture

From his office in the heart of Europe, in Brussels, dairy farmer, right-wing politician and Member of the European Parliament, Jan Huitema is perfectly placed to provide his desk-stuck colleagues with hand on experience of what it’s really like to be a farmer. “The information and debates are often extremely complex and technical and it is important that the Parliament include members from within the industry,peoplewhohavegained sufficient practical experience,” said Huitema who touted The Netherlands as ‘world champion

in agriculture’ with top scores in the field of food security, climatechangeandbioeconomy.

He mentioned the 30% cut in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions between 2010 and 2014 and the efforts to mitigate nutrient and pesticides runoff from production systems.

Huitema was particularly proud of the progress made in the battleagainstthepatentabilityof plants. On March 25, 2015, the European Patent Office (EPO) Enlarged Board of Appeal took the controversial decision that although essential biological processes such as crossing could not be patented, the resulting products could be covered by a patent. Huitema, working together with Plantum and trade association LTO, has taken a clear positionagainstthiscontroversial decision. “By now everyone agrees that native traits should be excluded from patentability.

But there’s a growing awareness and the conference on patents

and plant breeders’rights which was held in May saw a number of encouraging conclusions. The European Commission is now set to restore the ‘weave mistake’ and to clarify the scope and interpretationofDirective98/44/ EC.”

LVH

Meanwhile, the European Union seems seems to reign ‘united in diversity’ in other fields. Take the European Transport Safety Council’ stand on Longer and Heavier Goods Vehicles (LHV) on the roads of the European Union.

Heavy goods vehicles have to conformtomaximumdimension and weight limits if they want to cross European internal borders.

Currently, the maximum permitted length is 16.50 metres for articulated vehicles and 18.75 metres for road trains, with a total combined weight of 40 tonnes. LHVs (also known as Gigaliner, EuroCombi, EcoLiner

and EcoCombi) are trucks typicallymeasuring25.25metres in length and weighing up to 60 tonnes. Longer and heavier vehicles were already permitted in Finland and Sweden since before these Nordic countries joined the European Union in 1995. Directive 96/53/ EC allows Member States to use such vehicles at national level under the concept of the European Modular System (EMS). However, LHVs are not allowed to cross borders. All this created a lot of frustration and inconvenience among the hardworking members of the trucking industry – one that also keeps the ornamental plant and flower sector rolling worldwide. Intra auction traffic

by LHV for example between Royal FloraHolland Aalsmeer and Germany-based Veiling Rhein-Maas is prohibited, even if Veiling Rhein Maas is located just 1 km across the Dutch German border. |||

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International Events September 2016

October 2016

December 2016

May 2017

1 to 3. Poland 24th international trade exhibition Green is Life. www.greenislife.pl

5 to 7. Ecuador Agriflor in Quito. www.hpp.nl

17 to 18 United Kingdom RHS London Christmas Show. www.rhs.org.uk

5 to 7. France European Congress Hortis and World Urban Parks in Albi, France. www.hortis.fr

2017

9 to 10. The Netherlands GFIA Europe, the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture.

Venue: Jaarbeurs Expo Centre, Utrecht, Netherlands.

Organiser:Turret Media FZ LLC. info@gfiaeurope.com www.gfiaeurope.com

3-6. Iran Iran Green Trade Fair, Tehran. www.hpp.nl 1-4. Mexico Viverismo Flower and Garden Show at Conaplor, Cuautla, Mexico. info@guiaverdemexico.com 8-11. The Netherlands National Summer Flower Show at the Oude Kerk in Naaldwijk, the Netherlands. This year’s combined theme is ‘Dutch Pride’ and ‘Cut Hydrangea’. info@nzbt.nl www.nzbt.nl 13 to 15. Russia FlowersExpo 2016, the 6th international FlowersExpo trade exhibition is set to take place at Crocus Expo in Moscow from September 13-15. mail@flowers-expo.ru www.flowers-expo.ru 14-16. Italy FloraTrade, international horticultural trade exhibition at Fiera Rimini, Rimini, Italy. www.floratrade.it 15 to 17. United States The 2016 Landscape Show.

Join over 7,000 attendees in Orlando at the Orange County Convention Centre, and attend thesoutheast’spremierlandscape and horticulture conference and trade event. www.fngla.org 21 to 23. Italy Flormart. www.flormart.it 21 to 24. United States SAF Convention Maui 2016, www.safnow.org 21 to 24. United States Save the date: The 49th Annual Sylvia Cup Design Competition takes place on Sept. 24 during SAF Maui 2016, SAF's 132nd Annual Convention, Sept. 2124, 2016, at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua in Maui, Hawaii. www.safnow.org

7 to 9. United States 2016 Independent Plant Breeders Conference, the Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL 12 to14. Japan Ifex, Asia’s largest flower trade exhibition at Makuhari Messe, Tokyo. www.ifex.jp 22 to 23. United Kingdom BFA FleurEx, the annual floral fair for today’s professional florist. www.bfaflorist.org November 2016 2 to 4. The Netherlands Royal FloraHolland Trade Fair Aalsmeer. www.royalfloraholland.com/ tradefair 2 to 4. The Netherlands International Floriculture and Horticulture Trade Fair (IFTF). www.hpp.nl 13 to 15. United Arab Emirates Event organisers Messe Essen and planetfair Dubai LLC have announced the 2016 IPM Dubai and WOP Dubai will take place from 13 to 15 November 2016.

Once again, the trade exhibitions will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre. www.ipm-dubai.com www.wop-dubai.com 24 to 27. Turkey 2016 Eurasia Plant Fair/Flower Show Istanbul. info@cyffuar.com.tr www.flowershow.com.tr/en 30 November to 3 December.

Turkey Growtech Eurasia, 14th international greenhouse, agricultural equipment and technology trade fair. www.growtech.com.tr

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | September 2016

January 2017 15 to 17. United States Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) at the Broward County Convention Centre, Ft. Lauderdale. www.tpie.org 24 to 27. Germany IPM ESSEN ipm@messe-essen.de www.ipm-essen.de 27 to 30. Germany The new Floradecora show will display interesting ways to blend fresh cut flowers, pot plants and home décor accessories. Set to attract the world’s largest retail chains, Floradecora will be held in conjunctionwithChristmasworld in Frankfurt, one of the world’s largest consumer goods trade shows. www.christmasworld. messefrankfurt.com February 2017 22 to 24. Italy Myplant&Garden 2017 International green fair at Fiera Milano Rho-Pero http://myplantgarden.com/en/ March 2017 8 to 10. Ethiopia Hortiflora Expo in Addis Ababa. www.hpp.nl 13 to 15. China The 9th Guangzhou International Flower and Bonsai Exhibition at Guangzhou’s International Sourcing Center. The exhibition covers an area of 15,000m2 and is to host over 300 exhibitors. http://www.pjzwexpo.com/en/ 22to 24. United States World Floral Expo in Las Vegas, USA. www.hpp.nl

10 to 12. China Hortiflorexpo Shanghai. www.hfexpo.org/indexen.asp 10 May to 9 October. Canada Flora Niagara 2017 International Horticultural Exhibition at Niagara Falls, Canada.

P (613) 301-4554 m.gauthier@floraniagara.com www.floraniagara.com June 2017 7 to 9. Kenya.

The sixth edition of Iftex Kenya is set for June 7-9, Oshwal Center, Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya. www.iftex.org 13 to 16. The Netherlands and Germany Flower Trials. Over 49 breeding companiesinthreeregionspresent their latest innovations and future developmentsinpotandbedding plants. www.flowertrials.com 20 to 22. France Salon du Végétal at the Parc des Expositions de la Beaujoire. www.salonduvegetal.com July 2017 1 to 5. United States AIFD National Symposium in Seattle, Wash. www.aifd.org November 2017 1-3. The Netherlands International Floriculture Trade Expo (IFTF). www.hpp.nl

2019 April 2019 29 April to 7 October. China World Horticultural Exposition in Beijing www.aiph.org

Trade shows IFEX, touted as Japan’s largest flower trade exhibition show and to be held in conjunction with the International Garden Expo Tokyo, GARDEX, is set to take place at Tokyo’s Makuhari Messe on Wednesday, October 12, Thursday, October 13 and Friday October 14. This year’s show promises something to suit industry professionals of all ages and tastes as it will welcome exhibitors and traders from around the world.

Sneakpeek:finalpreparations for IFEX/GARDEX show

N

ow in their 13th and 10th year respectively, IFEX and GARDEX will bring together over 830 exhibitors, making thecombinedeventJapan’spremier horticultural trade event. “It is the best place to make new discovery, find suppliers/partners, and learn the trends in Japan and Asia”, said show director Junichi Nibori. “We are thrilled to hold this year’s show with various exhibitors with their latest products and services. We look forward to welcoming industry peers this October.”

IFEX is the place to be

IFEX is the ideal platform gathering exhibitors with flowers/ plants, floristry items and horticultural equipment. If you are looking for high-quality Japanese flowers and bonsai trees, IFEX is the place to be.

This year, exhibitors from various prefectures such as Fukuoka prefecture, Chiba prefecture, Gifu prefecture, Kochi prefecture, Oita prefecture and Saitama prefecture will join the show. All members are eagertoexporttheirspecialtyplants.

IFEX Quick Facts Dates: October 12-14, 2016 Venue: Makuhari Messe, Tokyo, Japan Organisers: Reed Exhibitions Japan Ltd. Shows running parallel to IFEX: Gardex, ToolJapan, AgriWorld For any inquiries, please contact IFEX/GARDEX Show Management Reed Exhibitions Japan Ltd.18F Shinjuku-Nomura Bldg., 1-26-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-0570, JAPAN Office: (+81) 3-3349-8519 Fax: (+81) 3-3349-8530 ifex-eng@reedexpo.co.jp Registration: www.ifex.jp/en/inv/ If you are interested in having a booth and joining the show as an exhibitor, contact Show Management at your earliest convenience for available locations at ifex-eng@reedexpo.co.jp Further information: Visit our website at www.ifex.jp/en/ Watch the video of last year’s show here http://www.ifex.jp/en/About/movie/

Omiya Bonsai, Japan’s famous bonsai grower will exhibit as well as Japan’s leading orchids grower, Sheena Orchid.

GARDEX gathers exhibitors with garden supplies, landscaping supplies and outdoor living products. “We visit GARDEX to buy products. It’s the must-attend show to source and always exciting to visit. I can’t wait to see what’s new this year,” saID a managing director of agarden centrein Japan.

Flower Awards

This year’s show will be bursting of activity. The IFEX Flower Awards, for example, is a special event to choose the future best-selling varieties.

Being its second year, we will be welcoming famous well-known floralartists,presidentsfromJapan’s leading flower markets and flower shops as judges of the awards.

Ikebana gura and TV celebrity Mr. Shogo Kariyazaki, Head of Kariyazaki Flower Professional Education School and Mr. Laurent Borniche, President of Laurent.

B Bouquetier and a Parisian flower artist known for his unique French styleflowerarrangementsaretwoof our judges that will be deciding the future best sells.

The award is divided into three categories; Cut Flower, Potted Flower and Overseas Grower. Last year, the winner in the Cut Flower category was Lisianthus Corsage LavenderfromNakasoneLisianthus while in the Potted Plants category PRINCETTIA (PRINCETTIA ROSA) from Suntory Flower Ltd. won the first prize. In the Overseas Grower category, an exhibitor from Ecuador, Equanrosa took home the highest accolade for their Deep Purple rose.

Check out previous prize winners herewww.ifex.jp/en/Previous-Show/ award/ Registration for the contest will be closing soon now. It is expected that this year 150 varieties will battle it out to win the highest award. |||

September 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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AIPH (IGOTY 2017)........................3................aiph.org/groweroftheyear/ Anthony Tesselaar Int..................6................................www.tesselaar.com Disneyland Paris.............................6................www.magie-disney.com/r/ horticultural_manager Royal FloraHolland.....................44....www.royalfloraholland.com/en Florasearch Inc..............................43.........................www.florasearch.com Floricultura B.V..............................43.........................www.floricultura.com Flowers & Cents..............................6.................www.flowersandcents.org IFEX 2016 Int. Flower Expo.......4......................................... www.ifex.jp/en Mak Breeding.............................38-39......................www.makbreeding.nl Market News Service...................6........................www.intracen.org/mns Real IPM ...........................................43................................www.realipm.com

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