The first quarter of 2017 ended with a 7% growth for Dutch plant and flower exports.
After a long, stormy period, followed by a gradual recovery of the global economy, things are looking bright again for the sector. Hopefully, this growth won’t be put to a halt because of protectionist tendencies.
IMF’s director Christine Lagarde quite rightly made a case for a sustainable recovery of the international trade. It will create more jobs, increase income and create more wealth throughout the world. At the same time, we can’t ignore the growing doubts about the advantages of further developing global economic integration.
The floristry sector has seen an unprecedented, global growth for more than 50 years now. The total size of the market has exceeded 100 billion euro and the world trade has increased to 20%. This means that our market has become larger than the wine and chocolate markets – our long-established competitors.
Considering the importance of emotion, experience and quality of life combined with the relatively low average per capita consumption, a further growth, by at least a factor of 2, is to be expected. (average global consumption 15 euro, highest consumption over 100 euro)
Campaigns such as Flowering the World, Plants for People, Let it grow, Greening cities etc., support this increase.
The sector is rapidly optimising the use of knowledge, ideas and technological innovations in the field of breeding, supply, production, trade, logistics and sales.
This is reflected in a formidably integrated, international, agile ecosystem characterised by a wide-ranging assortment, quality systems, durability, sustainability, robotization, low-energy greenhouses, drop per crop systems, digital marketplaces and platforms, integrated IT-systems, web shops, new revenue models and most of all, passionate, creative entrepreneurs and employees.
This autumn, international representative organisations from the entire floristry chain (including CIOPORA, AIPH, Royal FloraHolland, Union Fleurs, Florint, Fleuroselect) will hold the first WORLD FLOWER SUMMIT. Preparations are currently under way.
Leading international speakers will be there to share their views, each from his/her own angle, on the current developments and future challenges of our globally growing sector.
Royal FloraHolland has indicated that they are willing to facilitate and host the event during the week of Trade Fair and IFTF.
Herman de Boon,
President of Union Fleurs
