When Covid broke out in 2020, sales to Asia came to a complete standstill for a few months before picking up again. Sales of nursery products to China and Japan have been quite good since, but many stakeholders remain reticent. Sales to South Korea actually also seem to have found their way up in recent years. The Asian countries have one thing in common though: all stakeholders describe selling to Asia as a volatile venture.
"Seven years ago, we ran into our first ever customer from South Korea at a trade fair,” says Wout Rademaker of nursery Bloemendaal in Boskoop. "At that time, I honestly thought we would never sell anything there, but now we are sending quite a lot there."
The Korean buyer in question owns a large nursery and frequently visits the Netherlands. "Recently, he attended the Trade Fair Aalsmeer, where he also came to see us. I think that was already his fourth time this year. Before that, I had not seen him for a few years due to the Covid crisis. I know he also buys from other growers in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany." Though the pandemic may have reduced the contact, it has not affected the path we took a few years ago, according to Rademakers: "Sales growth has been healthy".
