The Ukrainian flower industry celebrated its annual get-together again. No less than 9,000 visitors traveled to the capital - from within the city, but also from the hinterland and various neighboring countries - to gawk at what breeders, growers and traders had to offer. And to be amazed by the floristry shows, something the nation's thousands of florists can't get enough of.
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Clockwise: Team of Ascana Roses, Ruud Klasens, Mariia Lazebna and Hennie Brockhoff of Schreurs; Katarina Eveleens and Martins Mazkalns of IP Handlers, and John Elsgeest of Flower Circus with 'his' two brides
The event, held for the 13th time this year, drew plenty of visitors. Generally speaking, the economy is doing well, the consumer has a bit more to spend, and both import and local production are reportedly on the increase (for more information on the local market, see here and here).
Roses
Especially noteworthy was the huge delegation of rose breeders. They all had a presence, with roses everywhere (and here and there a tulip or chrysanthemum), but the growers themselves are mostly absent. They're also not visiting in large numbers, partly because there aren't large numbers, and partly because there's said to be a pretty big community of 'illegal' growers, that is, growers who don't pay royalties. Behind the scenes, breeders are complaining about this, with local governments reportedly doing too little to stop these practices.
But that's just the way it is: the assortment of flowers may be vast, but like anywhere else, only a very small amount of it accounts for most of the turnover. Roses, followed by tulips and chrysanthemums, and the rest is relatively marginal. On the tulip side of things, there are hardly any reports of foul play, probably because the dynamics in bulb production and propagation isn't the same as in rose cultivation.
Click here for the photo report.
The show was opened by (from left to right) Nove Exhibitions director Kuno Jacobs, Iryna Slobodyanyuk, chairwoman Flower Council Ukraine Maryna Kinakh, Dutch ambassador in Ukraine Ed Hoeks and his wife & 'Honorary President of Flower Expo Ukraine' Odilia de Ranitz.
2020
According to the press release and in the words of Kuno Jacobs, the organization is satisfied with how the show went, as well as the visitors and the various (new) activities, conferences and presentations held. The next edition is already planned: April 7-9, same time, same place.