The remainder of 2018 is nearing , so it ’s sentence to look back . How was the class for stinger roses ? We check in with some growers from the independent rose grow countries : Ecuador , Colombia , Kenya , Ethiopia and India to review the class . All in all , 2018 seems to have been a challenging year with strange conditions , volatile market and auction prices and exchange rates play a key role .
Ecuador
Let ’s begin with the largest rose producing country in the world , Ecuador . Weather , logistics and market demands made 2018 a intriguing year for many Ecuadorian rose grower . However , the preserved and dyed rosiness seem to have been get dear results this year .
" atmospheric condition touch production"Unusual weather affected output , particularly in summer . " A strange and long summertime with some very unusual cold weeks leave in the production being very varying " , say Sebastian Padula of Josarflor , who grows roses in Cayambe . Santiago Luzuriaga , General Director of BellaRosa and Rose Connection , also mentions the weather as a principal challenge this twelvemonth . " We had atypical weather circumstance that could n’t be figure that affected yield for several months , which leave in a lower measure of exportation . " in the beginning this month , theypresented16 year of rainfall data ( recorded at their BellaRosa farm in Tabacundo ) in which November 2018 emerged as one of the rainiest November ’s over the tracking period .
But in most of the bodily structure of the business it has been challenging . " Also for the sales , the behavior of the market was very variable , and the logistics ( modified space on airlines ) have increase the problems this year " , says Padula .
RussiaRussia is an important market for many Ecuadorian growers , and when look at this market , it has been an interesting year as well . Josarflor ’s Padula , for whom Russia is an important market place : “ Until May , the demand has been stable , and then from June till August it has been very bad as demand leave out a lot . Then the demand increase a bit and August was okay , partially due to the first Clarence Day of school for the Russian child - which is an significant day for the flower industry . We ’ve had safe requirement , but unfortunately we did not have that many flowers . It was a challenge to live up to the orders , which was a pity . ”
According to Sebastian , the Russian market demand is a bit more stable now , but the devaluation of the ruble against the dollar made it challenging . “ client at the FlowersExpo , hold in September , have been asking for lower Price . At the beginning of the year , it was still 62 rouble against 1 dollar , while at the show , it was 68 ruble against one dollar sign . ”
When BellaRosa and Rose Connection analyse their target markets and compare 2018 with 2017 , they see the biggest increase in Asia . " The Asian market had a growth of 24 % , the European and Russian market stay unvarying and the American market had an increment of 6 % . "
secure results for preserved and dyed rosesProducts that did very well this year were the preserved and dyed blush wine , Luzuriaga tells us . " In preserve rose we triple our exports compared to 2017 . In dye blush wine we had an increment of 20 % of our export compared to 2017 . And in fresh roses we maintained the book of our exports . This was the event of the food market structure that we contrive and carry out in the current yr . "
2019"All in all , in our caseful , this year was more challenging than 2017 , but for 2019 , we project well issue " , says Padula . Luzuriaga also has good hope for 2019 . " 2019 seems like a year with stable markets , shape by the rival and increment of companies positioned in the global flower industry . We see the engagement of new companies , which give a scenario where companies that have a unparalleled position will have a high probability of have a good year . "
Colombia
The year has been a challenging one for Colombian growers as well .
“ immense efforts to get dark-green numbers”Talking to Jorge Ortega of Matina Flowers , who grows roses in Bogota , to survey 2018 , he pronounce the following : " Let ’s say number were a little better than 2017 , but the exertion to make this happen was huge , every year we have to make more efforts so as to get green number due to the constant challenge in the spherical marketplace , like logistics , weather , market prices . But overall , we are very quenched with the results . ”
Atypical WeatherAt the start of the year , the atmospheric condition seemed to be a little irregular for that time of the year and decreased the production at some farms . " Normally in Colombia we have a lot of sunshine and is now a picayune cold and turbid " , Liliana Rodriguez , Agricola Circasia and Vuelven , who grows roses in the North of Bogotatold usabout a hebdomad in advance of Valentine ’s Day 2018 .
good holiday salesSo , what run short well ? According to Ortega , sales were better in the high - demand seasons like Valentine ’s Day , Mother ’s Day and so on . " We care to get all the production for each specific vacation on sentence , so all the product was successfully trade at the gauge prices . reach this has a very confirming effect on the client ' behavior in low - demand seasons , giving you leverage anteriority over the other company that compete in the same recess . "
Logistics in 2019The name of the game in 2019 will be logistics . " This part of the mountain range is becoming very complicated , with freight going up , and there is very circumscribed infinite in the planes . In bit , it is lay down the gamey - demand seasons a incubus for our customers . And at the terminal it ends up affecting the markets . "
Educational yearAll in all , Ortega found 2018 an educational yr for the fellowship . " We have learned a stack from some situations , and it will help us to improve even more next year . As I always say , if it were easy it would not be flower . "
Kenya
Also in Kenya , things have been challenging in 2018 . It started out actually quite well in the running - up to Valentine ’s Day , but introduction of calculating freight costs of volumetric exercising weight , keep an eye on by a blistering summer in Europe , a long rainy season and the fertilizer famine since October made it challenge . " It was a tough year for the USDA business as a whole in Kenya " , says Ravi Patel of Subati Group who grow roses in Northern Kenya on the slopes of the Great Rift Valley . eminent need for Valentine ’s Day"Partly due to the cold weather in Ethiopia , we have been extremely busy in the run - up to Valentine ’s Day " , Jan Renting of Optimal Connection , a Dutch take out company for Kenyan and Israeli farmstold usa day in cash advance of this vacation . " However , also Colombian raiser have had cold day , which also resulted in a decrease in product . In Kenya , in contrast , the weather was good and the numbers and timbre therefore too . “Volumetric weight“In early June it started off with the introduction of volumetric exercising weight for freight alternatively of weight by kilos , which is much more expensive , particularly for the mellow altitude farms that supply the heavy - headed roses " , Sachin Appachu of Bliss Floratold us . In old years , during low season freightage charges were shrink to ply for the low season , but this twelvemonth it was the same high freight price all twelvemonth round . That was biting the cherry twice . ”
Hot summertime in EuropeThe hot summer in Europe result in low need . Rose grower Ivan Freeman of Uhuru Flowers , who grows roses on the northern slopes of Mount Kenya , tell usin July that he could palpate the heat in the exportation figures . " In the rest of the public , the sale are hunky-dory , only in Europe , the sale are down " , he say . Also at the auction , they felt the heat . " There was no demand " , enounce Aart Buizer of Fresco Flowers , a packaging society for Kenyan and Ethiopian farm based at the FloraHolland auction . " luckily , we had good Mother ’s Day sales , he says .
Early and longsighted showery season"Highly varying and unpredictable atmospheric condition conditions throughout the year made it difficult to prepare the fields for harvest and time the mellow seasons accordingly " , says Patel .
The showery season for example , started off too betimes and hold up too long . " It already started in March alternatively of April , " Paul Wekesa of Panocal , who grows pink wine just outside the town of Kitale , inform usin March . As a solvent , the production volume decreased .
In September , the frigid geological period with cloudy years took longer than usual . It delayed the craw , Florence Didy of Harvest Flowers Kenyatold usearlier this year . " commonly the cold period runs until mid - July or the outset of August , but we did not expect to still have it in September . Due to the deficiency of sunlight , the cut points remain sleeping for quite foresightful and the overall germination and growth of the crop is very irksome , hence the low production being go through . "
Also Subati ’s production was strike by the weather condition . " We shin more than anything else due to excess rainfall on farms and this led to grim sales in 2018 . "
Shortage fertilizerSince October , the gamey prices of fertilizers also started to act a major role in this dispute situation . The Leontyne Price have been very high as a result of new and stringent measures on local inspection of all fertilizers innovate by the Kenya Bureau of Standards , Appachuexplainedin November . " The economic forces of supply and demand stimulate plant food price to more than dual " , Patel adds .
" I have never find out a yr as forged as this year"All in all , it has been a very challenging class and for some even the bad they have look during their career . “ In my 24 age of experience in the flower manufacture , I have never seen a year as tough as this year ” , says Appachu . Also Patel has seen good year . " The farming industry always goes through ups and down , and we consider this class as a down . But after all , we are quenched with the figure , it could always have been worse . " Over the last year , Subati increased sales event into China and the US and this gives them unspoiled Hope for 2019 . " I am affirmative that it ’s going to be our best year " , say Patel .
Ethiopia
In Ethiopia , it was no different . Also in this land , 2018 can be characterized as challenging , with a cold showtime of the year , political tempestuousness , and low auction Leontyne Price . Fortunately , the weather conditions improved and the devaluation of the Birr against the buck and euro was good for the export companies . The low auction prices leave in the magnanimous challenge this year , stimulate some growers to worry about the future tense .
Cold temperaturesOver the years , the Ethiopian winters are getting colder . " The last two years have been extremely cold " , say Buizer . And this resulted in a down routine of Ethiopian roses at the Dutch auction bridge in the run - up to Valentine ’s Day .
UnrestAfter the election of unexampled Prime Minister Abiy Ahmen in late March , tempestuousness arose at some farm in the Oromia region . " There was a mismatch between prospect and reality that cause unrest " , Frerik Kampman , Aid and Trade Officer at the Netherlands Embassy in Addis Ababatold us . Fortunately , there were several farms that did not have any difficulties , Kampman direct out . " carry on a good relationship with the biotic community and communication towards the residential district is essential and is hold fruit . "
" respectable atmospheric condition and exchange charge per unit but bad auction bridge prices"When we ask Ethiopian grower Esayas Kebebe of Ethio Agrio Ceft plc , who grows rosebush in Bahar Dar and Holeta and append them to the Dutch auction , to review 2018 , he says : " In 2018 , we have had good weather conditions and the devaluation of the birr against the dollar and euro was unspoiled for the exporting company . Unfortunately , the vendue price in 2018 were very bad compare to late age , making it the major intellect for this ambitious class . " If the prices stay on this humiliated , he fears for the hereafter of several farms . “ Some will close up in the near future as agriculturalist are working at a loss . ”
Optimistic for 2019Even despite the challenging year , Kebebe is affirmative for 2019 . “ I have good hope that 2019 will be a good year for the flower manufacture . ” Buizer adds : " It all depends on the atmospheric condition conditions , the commutation charge per unit , and political situation . "
India
Native American rose agriculturalist Narendra Patil of Soex Flora is overall proud of about 2018 . " Compared to last year , the need was good and so was business . " The only thing that was not as good as last year was the freightage situation . " Since crude oil damage went up , freight rates got expensive . And due to our cost consignment , we had to bear the toll load . "
This year , Soex Flora was - after a short break - again present at the FlowersExpo in Russia . Over the last year , he has seen the demand from this country for Indian roses increasing . " Our rose have a similar lineament to the Kenyan roses , and for our Russian customer , it is significant to have supplier from dissimilar neighborhood - and specially with this class ’s weather billet in Kenya that diminish the product at many farms " , hetold usearlier this year .
When look at 2019 , Patil has dependable expectations for 2019 . " As of now , 2019 look hopeful , and with our new hi - tech packing hall we can deal huge volumes at an instant . "
Valentine ’s Day 2019
Valentine ’s Day ( 14 February ) is for many growers one of the most important days of the class . And for 2019 , hopes are high as it again falls on a weekday . " Historically speaking , weekdays are unspoiled for blossom gross sales than weekends " , say Buizer .
© FloralDaily.com/Elita Vellekoop
