Export Crops Roundup for 2016

Peter Rensen of Utopia Orchids provides a thorough review of the 2016 year for Cymbidium.

2016 Cymbidium season.

For most Cymbidium growers the flowering season is coming to an end, time for spacing plants, crop maintenance and possibly fit in some leisure activities away from the property.

This season had brought some improvement for the prices for Cymbidiums to our overseas markets because of our dollar but also due to a slight reduction in volume grown. Local market prices saw some improvement, especially for better quality product.

The reduction in volume was due to a few more growers exiting our industry and the fact that we did have an unusual summer with lots of warm nights. Cymbidium plants need a surplus of sugars brought on by colder nights to initiate flower spikes and over a long period during the summer months this was not happening. The result was a start with good volumes but a drop in the number of boxes from August onwards. I am in two minds weather the decrease in volume is the cause of the price increase (consequent perceived shortage of crop)  or was it the extra effort by our exporters for higher prices from their customers resulting in this price increase.

Exchange rate with Japan has certainly helped as that was in our favour by an average of 10%. Exchange rate with the US has moved against us this year which was a surprise to me. , However I do expect the USD to become stronger from now on as Mr Trump will no doubt implement some protective measures that will benefit the US (perhaps not the rest of the world)

It must also be said the quality of Cymbidium flowers as a whole this season was better than it has been, this is due to better grading, better growing and a realization we cannot build a good market with poor quality. Prices achieved for poor quality product over the last few years has made it not worth while growing combined with some stick growers have received from their peersregarding supply of poor quality and have improved their procedures and grading.

Overall this season was better than the last few and growers are happy perhaps not because it was a great year but because they have not lost as much money as they did the last few seasons or hopefully made a little this year.

Happy growing, Pete Rensen

Peony Growers are of course in the midst of their harvesting season but a few words on the phone with Andrew Middleton revealed that the current season was proceeding pretty much as the last one had.  For last season Andrew reported that it was very good with record prices throughout the season and no production gluts with Nelson starting, followed by Canterbury and then Otago. Overseas demand particularly from Australia, is good.

Calla Season.

Previously Raj Rughunanan of GHE has been able to provide us with Calla Updates. Raj has now sold his property south of Auckland for housing and this is a reality for a number of growers on the periphery of Auckland.

I was able to speak by phone with Ivan Prouse of Kavan Horticulture.

Ivan provided his own perspective on Calla growing. They produce late season Calla for the Christmas and more particularly the New Year market, their season is about to start. Ivan thinks that there is now only about $1million of Calla export sales annually however the last three years have been good for them with 50%/50% local to export sales.

The high dollar does affect export prices but demand still exists. Their export sales are of gold colour flowers to Hong Kong for the big hotel and casino markets.

Sales of potted Calla lily are good on the local market but this is done mainly by the large plant nurseries and goes to the garden centres.

Ivan also said he felt there was a lack new varieties with a reduction in the amount of breeding being done.