The phalaenopsis market had just started to recover when the coronavirus got in the way. At the beginning of the crisis, Dutch growers threw away around 1.5 to 1.8 million plants. Prices are now going up again but there are still concerns about late payments.
Nurseries are focusing on new sales concepts and increasing their efficiency. They realise that Covid-19 is still making the market very unstable. What if countries are going to close their borders again? Several professionals from the industry say that a lot will depend on price formation the coming months.
A phalaenopsis for €0.99. A plant with one flowering stem in a 12-cm pot to be precise. That’s what the well-known, blue-and-yellow home store from Sweden was selling a few weeks ago. Many people within the sector thought it was a disgrace. The price went up to €1.49 (as a result?), according to a picture that circulated on the Internet later. The reactions were still characterised by outrage.
Cor Middelkoop, product manager potted orchids at Royal FloraHolland, understands this. Selling phalaenopsis at dump prices doesn’t send the right message. “The same department store had a similar phalaenopsis campaign around 2011. Their response back then was the same as now: it’s our product, so it’s up to us to decide on our sales price.”
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