The Trade in Cut Flowers is Proving to be More Stable

In comparison with the trade in plants, the intra-European trade in cut flowers proved to be far more stable in the first half of 2013. The weather has exerted less influence on the demand for cut flowers. Precisely the typical spring and summer flowers are registering good sales figures. Eurostat is indicating a slight decline in the imports of cut flowers in comparison with the previous year. This may still be balanced out by the subsequent reports. The imports from South America seem to be diminishing somewhat in favour of the African supply countries.

The Dutch export statistics indicate that the exports of cut flowers declined by 3.5 % until June and by 4.0 % until August 2013 in comparison with the previous year. In the same order of magnitude, this also applies to the supplies to Germany. Against the

background that the Dutch exporters were able to register high rates of increase in2012, a stable level but no increase on 2011 is being assumed for 2013. Especially in Germany, experts are seeing a trend towards a growing range of cut flowers available from regional outdoor production. It remains to be clarified whether this development in the summer season has influenced the Dutch export quantities.

Based on a report by Dr. Marianne Altmann CO CONCEPT Luxembourg