Although 4% more flowers and plants were sold, FloraHolland’s turnover in the week before Mother’s Day was 8% less than last year. Pricing fell short by 12%.
The biggest flower auction in the world reported that many factors had an effect on the Mother’s Day turnover, such as very cold weather followed by warm weather; the national holidays in the week before Mother’s Day had an adverse effect too. The trading days before the Dutch Mother’s Day were a week earlier this year and consisted of one very cold and one very warm week. Besides, the export locations had one less auction day than last year.
This combination of factors led to a Mother’s Day turnover of 8% less than last year. There was an increase by 4% in the number of flowers and plants sold, but pricing fell short by 12% compared to the same period in 2015.
Royal FloraHolland reported that the florists in the Netherlands bought many Dutch roses, tulips, gerberas, chrysanthemums, and lilies as gifts for the Dutch mothers while products such as peony and lisianthus did not sell so well.
It has been a difficult few weeks for pricing: most products had a negative score compared with last year, bringing the total price level to 22.8 euro cents, which is 18% lower than last year.
Plantion did well
The total turnover at the other Dutch auction, Plantion in Ede, was 6.5% higher than the Mother’s Day turnover last year. The auction on the Ascension Day national holiday was a unique happening: the supply was good and there were many buyers. The biggest turnover was achieved on Monday and Wednesday; the best pricing on Monday and Thursday (Ascension Day).
Garden plants were expensive throughout the week, with a peak on Friday, according to the spokeswoman. The most interest for potted plants was at the end of week 17 and the start of week 18. Cut flowers were expensive on Monday and a little cheaper on Tuesday and Wednesday because of the anticipated warm weather, while cut flowers were rather pricey on Thursday and Friday.
€15.4 million via Veiling Rhein-Maas
The Veiling Rhein-Maas in Herongen, Germany, achieved a turnover of € 15.4 million in the week before Mother’s Day. It was the second-highest total turnover in Mother’s Day week since the establishment of the joint venture in 2010.
This turnover was achieved in five days. Veiling Rhein-Maas, a subsidiary of Landgard and FloraHolland, was open on Ascension Day, unlike FloraHolland’s export locations. Considering the large numbers of customers in the bidding halls in Straelen-Herongen and those via the remote-buying system, the auction acknowledged this to have been the right decision.
The high-quality products that were marketed exclusively at the auction as ‘Premium Qualität’ were especially popular at Veiling Rhein-Maas in the week before Mother’s Day. Moreover, the demand for peonies, the first full-field flowers to be produced, mixed bouquets, roses, plant dishes and arrangements, flowering potted plants, and patio plants was unusually high.
Veiling Rhein-Maas is particularly pleased with the increasing use of presales via the clock; the highest ever supply offered to the clock was achieved on Wednesday.
