"Veiling Rhein-Maas: "Successful Easter sales"

Veiling Rhein-Maas experienced a successful first quarter of 2016. Over the first three months, sales were in line with seasonal expectations for nearly all product groups, while Easter sales provided a satisfactory conclusion to the first quarter. All in all, Veiling Rhein-Maas achieved 0.5% more turnover compared to Q1 2015. Once again, the increased turnover for the Veiling Rhein-Maas Clock Service contributed significantly to this positive development.

The marketplace customers could choose from a wide assortment of green and house plants, and prices on the auction clocks showed a positive development. For the garden plants, Primulas experienced a difficult market situation at the start of the year as a result of the weather, until in March when demand increased again. Due to Easter falling early this year, the bulb plants season was shortened, resulting in a large supply being brought to market during an uncommonly short period. Veiling Rhein-Maas was able to record good median prices for the other spring bloomers during the whole season. Veiling Rhein-Maas' focus on tree nursery products increased as a result of the adjustment to the auction sequence in early March.

The number of cut flowers sold at Veiling Rhein-Maas was up on last year, also because Easter fell early. The median prices basically achieved the same levels as last year. The Clock Pre-Sale channel, which was opened up for some cut flowers in January, quickly became increasingly popular and was therefore opened up for almost all cut flower product groups by March. In addition, and for the first time, International Women’s Day on 8 March 2016 clearly influenced cut flower sales at Veiling Rhein-Maas, resulting in a higher demand than last year.

The introduction of the 'Premium Quality' designation for cut flowers, which was piloted for buttercups, went down very well. Once the pilot project has been assessed, Veiling Rhein-Maas will decide whether to extend the designation to other cut flower auction groups. In the first quarter of 2016, the 'Premium Quality' designation was introduced for boxwood as well, enabling it to be sold with this designation from mid-March.

Source: Veiling Rhein-Maas