The peak in the supply of flowers and greenery from Israel to the Netherlands has been delayed because Israeli growers started planting later this year than in previous years. Another cause is the conflict in Israel. Last season, the supply from Israel to Royal FloraHolland was 8 percent lower. Plantion faced problems with its assortment due to the lower supply from Israel.
Last summer was hot in Israel, forcing Israeli growers to plant their crops several weeks later. As a result, supply has been somewhat delayed. Usually, supply from Israeli growers starts to rise in week 46, but this is different now. “I expect volumes to rise substantially within the next week or ten days,” says Arnona van Faassen, Sales Manager at Aviv Flowers, an agent for Israeli growers based at the Royal FloraHolland site.
According to Faassen, the conflict between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah has had little impact on the supply from Israel, claiming that “the delay is mainly caused by the weather.” She also points out that flower production has resumed in the northern parts of Israel. The situation in the border regions with Lebanon had been grim since August, forcing people – including peony growers – to leave because they were in a security zone. At the end of November, Israel and Hezbollah agreed a truce, allowing people to return to their homes.
