A Peek at the Worldwide Floral Industry
That little flower shop around the corner may not look like much, but it is part of a multibillion industry that has steadily evolved since its beginnings in the late 1800s. Over the decades, this business has posted record growth rates. For instance, back in the 1950s, the worldwide trade in flowers was worth less than 2 billion pounds. However, by 1992, its profits had increased to an amazing 66 billion. It has continued to grow at about six percent every year since then.
This industry basically has three major components: these are the growers, wholesalers, and retailers. All of these businesses are connected to one another. But, in recent times, the trend has leaned towards eliminating the need for intermediaries or wholesalers so that retailers would be able to purchase the flowers at considerably more affordable prices.
Centres of flower production are usually found near the largest number of consumers. These major markets are the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Japan. The country of Holland is the biggest flower production centre in Europe while other major players in the industry are Colombia, Ecuador, Kenya, Ethiopia, and India. However, other nations are gradually making an impact on the industry as well. Some of these are Israel, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Industry watchers believe that these changes that are currently happening in flower production and distribution are due to the fact that the new growers have better climates and lower labour costs on their side.
