Indian Rose Importation exceeds Half a Million Stems

Critical to New Zealand Cut Flower Rose Growers, Valentines Day in February is one of the most important windows of opportunity in the growing year. This February 2015 saw 542,000 stems of roses imported from India, close to the record breaking 582,000 stems imported in 2014.

It was estimated in 2014 that these levels are approximately 50% of all roses sold in the period, of significant impact to local growers

Latest importation figures also show a much smaller but growing importation of Colombian roses and together with the Indian product brings total imported rose stems in February in line with the 582,000 volume in 2014.

Other noticeable trends are an increase in imported Orchids from Malaysia in late 2014 and March 2015, and an influx of Colombian Alstroemeria though relatively small in comparison to rose imports which account for the majority of imported cut flowers, focussed on the main promotional periods Valentines Day and Mothers Day