Netherlands: Prices Christmas items good; little enthusiasm for remaining assortment

At Christmas, the plant offering is always different. Suddenly it’s swarming with poinsettias, there are carts loaded with Christmas trees and the colors red and white dominate. "This year is no different, but the focus of buyers on color seems even more extreme than usual," says Ivo van der Burgh, auctioneer at the florists clock in Eelde in the Netherlands. Now that Christmas is approaching, this is obviously one of the places where you can see this first.

Part of the Christmas offer, this morning on the clock in Eelde (photos: Ivo van der Burgh)

Notable this year besides the color is that the offer of small Christmas trees is large and, in addition, being sold for good prices. The poinsettias are also well-priced. Also, amaryllises are very popular and red and white cyclamen and white azaleas stand out in a positive way.

One man's gain ...

Ivo: "Less positive is that everything not-Christmas related is selling poorly. White phalaenopsis still sells, but the state of mixed colors is dramatic. The same applies to the kalanchoe, a number of batches had to be thrown out. It’s even worse with the pink medinilla, for which there is absolutely no interest. The same applies to the gaultheria. The large sizes are still in demand but everything under pot size 13 is below par."

Amaryllis is in high demand

Big differences

The poinsettia, which in numbers traditionally outsells the rest of the range, is slightly higher than last year with an average price of 1.50 to 1.60 for a 12 centimeter pot. Ivo: "Also striking is how important quality is. Growers are experiencing this in both a positive and negative sense. One grower collected 2.50 euros where another got stuck at 0.80 cents. So there are major differences."

For more information:
Auctioneer Florists clock Eelde
Ivo van der Burgh
T: +31 (0) 503097272
E: [email protected]