Date: Thursday, December 1, 2011
Categories: Cut Flowers, Ethiopia, Kenya, ProVerde projects, Tanzania, Uganda
The World Bank, in cooperation with the Kenya Flower Council (KFC), organised a series of video conference-based seminars on topics pertaining to competitiveness in the floriculture industry. The 5th seminar, held on the 29th of November 2011, covered the issue of global competitiveness of floriculture production in the East Africa Region. Representatives from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda participated in the videoconference.
ProVerde was asked to prepare an issue paper on the competitiveness of the Kenyan flower industry and by extension the East African producer’s compared to other global producers and exporters. The paper provided an important contextual and experiential learning point for the other countries involved in the videoconference. Results from the study were presented and discussed during the conference. Read more »
Date: Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Categories: Cut Flowers, Market research
Traditionally, most flowers heading for European markets enter the European Union via Amsterdam airport, located near the Dutch auctions. From mid-2009, however, many Dutch importers developed a preference for Belgian airports.
Importing fresh flowers through Belgium was, and still is, easier, due to the availability of night flights, handling benefits, lower costs, and smoother customs procedures and phytosanitary checks.
For as long as they last, the advantages are worth the effort (see figure).
Source: ProVerde
Date: Thursday, July 14, 2011
Categories: Fruit & vegetables, News
All 27 EU member states will have to adhere to new rules on food labelling, giving consumers more information about the nutritional aspects of packaged food products. The new EU food labelling laws were given the last nod by the European Parliament last week and are expected to enter into force in three years’ time, giving food manufacturers ample time to adapt to the new regime.
Read more »
Date: Thursday, July 14, 2011
Categories: Fruit & vegetables, Poland
In 2010/11, Poland’s fruit and vegetable output recorded notable declines due to adverse weather patterns. Tighter raw material stocks should reflect itself in lower output of fruit and vegetable preserves for nearly every product. In 2011/12, horticultural production should rebound but farmers and processors must face new challenges holding unforeseen consequences on the market, such as rising costs, lingering concerns over E Coli and Russia’s embargo of Polish fresh vegetables. Initial forecasts are for increased production of juices and exports of fresh apples, stronger export prices for strawberries but weaker for fresh apples and apple juice.
Read more »
Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Categories: Cut Flowers, Ethiopia, Market research, News
Already a top 5 EU flower supplier, Ethiopia steps up its market drive
Ten years ago, Ethiopian flower exports were virtually non-existent. Today, the country ranks among the European Union’s top 5 fresh-cut flower suppliers and floriculture has become one of the nation’s main foreign exchange earners. Economic woes in 2009 and the effects of the ash cloud in 2010 caused a minor shakeout, but about a hundred growers have emerged from these storms stronger and more eager than ever to consolidate and expand on their export position by stepping up their market drive, improving efficiency and diversifying product ranges.
As far as the flower industry is concerned, the worst of the economic recession seems to be over. Though prices may not climb back to pre-crisis levels, the 2009 slump seems to be a thing of the past, with EU imports steadily rising. Trade figures on the whole suggest the global flower market is rebounding and the mood in the market is one of cautious optimism.
Read more »
Date: Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Categories: China, Fruit & vegetables, ProVerde projects, Training
This workshop, which was organised for a group of vegetable growers from the Shandong Province in China, focused on strengthening the entrepreneurs’ market orriented approach. Read more »
Date: Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Categories: Cut Flowers, News, ProVerde projects, Uganda
With the assistance of Hortiwise, the Uganda Floricultural Association (UFA) is set to pilot the export of local flowers to European markets.
UFA is embarking on the task of getting potential buyers in the European market where in this very month of February, a commercial trial shipment will be conducted to obtain insights on the quality aspects as well as getting feedback from potential buyers in Europe.
Read more in the allAfrica.com article
Date: Friday, December 17, 2010
Categories: Chile, Cut Flowers, News
While Europe is checking her salt deposits and people are preparing for Christmas in the cold winter months, Chileans celebrate their holidays close to the beaches as summer is coming up now. But not before they have completed their harvest for the European market.
Besides the fact that the climate in Chile shows huge disparities within the country, spring season is a busy period for the companies that are active in the still modest floricultural export activities. South America always had the vertical trade routes burned into the mindset, but Europe has become an interesting export destination for flowers as well. Especially in the situation when the euro holds a better exchange rate to the local Peso (CLP) than the US dollar. Read more »
Date: Friday, December 17, 2010
Categories: Biodiversity products, EU
Certificates of exported plan origin products are checked systematically at EU borders, while physical checks are performed at a lower frequency. But, the frequency of these physical checks is increasing in order to determine the possible presence of substances that may pose a risk to human and animal health, such as aflatoxins in nuts and pesticides in fruit and vegetables.
Read more »
ProVerde is pleased to announce a new publication for the Trade for Development Centre:
“The European Market for Fair and Sustainable Flowers and Plants”
Given the importance of market transparency for producers aiming at selling their products overseas, the report provides relevant information for producers – within the trade context. The report makes an attempt to capture all relevant information on the European market for fair and sustainable flowers and plants – ranging from economic structure of this market to production characteristics, and major trends in consumer preferences and behaviour.
Above all, the report provides insight into the role of various social and environmental standards in the main European flower and plant markets and sales channels.
Read more »