Dutch growers produce the most chrysanthemums in Europe
Dutch growers produce the most chrysanthemums in Europe. In addition, our country excels in the knowledge about and breeding of chrysanthemums. That is especially important for chrysanthemums, as sufficient knowledge of their specialist cultivation is required to grow them successfully. Sheila states, "There are many knowledge partners here. Our growers have the highest production efficiency, which corresponds to producing the highest number of stems per square meter."
Many European countries grow chrysanthemums, but often not all year-round, as in the Netherlands. Italy holds second place in terms of production, followed by Poland and Turkey/Germany in position 4. Meanwhile, the Netherlands is experiencing an increase in scale. "The situation is becoming more and more professional. The smaller growers are disappearing and the larger companies are just getting larger."
Chrysanthemum cultivation
Most European countries focus on seasonal cultivation, producing flowers once a year around the time of All Saints' Day. This is the day in November when deceased family members are remembered, especially by visiting their graves. Countries that concentrate on seasonal cultivation include Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Hungary and Russia. Nowadays, chrysanthemums are available year-round in supermarkets. They are also being bought more often by consumers in bouquets. In certain countries the sale of bunches of just chrysanthemums is increasing.
The production of chrysanthemums is relatively stable in most European countries. Only in Russia is a slight rise anticipated, because the country wants to become more self-sufficient. "There is little knowledge about cultivation there. Management is improving, so the production is increasing." The production area in Greece and France will shrink in coming years. The remaining companies are no longer investing in professionalisation.
Largest acreage in India
China and India are the world's largest producers of chrysanthemums. In Asia an average of 5.6 billion stems are cultivated on a total of 31,900 ha. The largest acreage is found in India, followed by China. But the productivity is low, and not all of the production area is being used to the full. The growth markets are China, India and Vietnam. Primarily spray and disbudded chrysanthemums are grown for the Asian market.
Chrysanthemums symbolise nobility in China and Japan, and the flower represents the kingdom. The white and yellow varieties are used as flowers for funerals; they are also the symbol of grief. The largest acreage in India is located in Andhira Pradesh (6,140 ha). Over 33 varieties of chrysanthemums are cultivated in India, where they are often used in garlands to welcome people or for religious purposes.
Chrysanthemums exported primarily to the UK
The Netherlands is the largest trade partner in the world and thus also the largest export country of chrysanthemums, amounting annually to €250 million. They are mostly exported to the UK, Germany, Russia and Poland. The export to Russia dropped by 50% in 2015 due to the import ban. Colombia is the second largest export country in the world, with an annual revenue of €162 million. Chrysanthemums from there are primarily exported to the USA. Malaysia is in third place with an annual revenue of €58 million. Almost all of its export goes to Japan.
Improving image
What sort of image do chrysanthemums have nowadays? "Their image is changing due to the diversity of varieties, colours and their use in bouquets. Chrysanthemum growers are investing considerably in promotion via dedicated organisations like Justchrysathemum. The Chrysanthemum Product Table is also helping to promote chrysanthemums and draw attention to them."
Source: Royal FloraHolland
