Year To Date NZ Cut Flower Imports have Doubled

The data is of some considerable concern to New Zealand cutflower growers. Year to Date there are twice as many cut flower stems coming into the New Zealand market from offshore as was the case for the first four months of 2013.

The majority of the total imported stems are roses (88%), with most of these originating from India. However there is an almost across-the-board trend of increasing importation (the only reduced importation thus far in 2014 has been of orchids). India is also the country of origin of a quantity of imported lilies. Chrysanthemums from Malaysia jumped in April, and Carnations which have not recently featured, saw some considerable numbers imported again from India in March and April 2014. There were a total of 3.8 million stems imported to New Zealand in 2013, and it looks like this number is set to grow to even greater numbers in 2014 if the above trend continues.