Autumn business has been slow due to the drought. In addition, Flemish ornamental growers are concerned about rising transport costs, which are hurting their competitive position. Still, after a season start with exceptionally good prices, there was optimism as well at the Florall ornamental plant fair in Waregem.
Where Flanders once had hundreds of azalea companies, their number has now fallen to a few dozen. “And if we count the number of companies that exclusively grow azaleas, there are perhaps around 20 left,” says azalea grower Kristof Van Laere at Florall.
Van Laere is a familiar face at the Florall fair, which takes place twice a year and hosts around 80 exhibitors, including over 60 ornamental growers. Among the hundreds of visitors are countless traders from the Netherlands, France and England, who often combine their visit to the fair with visits to growers and Plantarium/Groen-Direkt.
