In this article you will find an update from the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), who are involved in the crisis measures surrounding the Coronavirus and informs Royal FloraHolland about the impact of the virus on the export market.
Austria
The director of the Chamber of Commerce of Lower Austria (WKNÖ), Sonja Zwazl, has called on supermarkets to be fair and to offer only those products that fall within the basic supply with a view to fair competition. While specialist retailers have had to close their stores on behalf of the government to prevent the spread of the corona virus, individual supermarket chains are currently even expanding their range of non-food products - e.g. garden furniture. In addition, Dominik Nepp of the Viennese FPÖ (political party) is demanding that it should be possible for all retailers (including garden centres and florists) to have products picked up just like at a restaurant where it has been possible to pick up food since 3 April. He wonders what the difference is between picking up a bouquet of flowers from a florist, a book from a specialist shop or a schnitzel from a restaurant. Dominik Nepp demands that the opening of the trade be prepared. (Source: Vienna.at 02-04-2020)
Belgium
Where many farm (farm) shops in Belgium see a much greater demand for local products, most growers of ornamental horticulture products see their sales disappear. That is why an online platform has recently been developed in Belgium, a kind of "Tinder" where farm shops and growers of ornamental horticulture products can find each other and do business. (Source: Floristry 02-04-2020)
A new challenge has recently been launched on Facebook, the #flowerboostchallenge, in which company managers challenge each other to treat their employees to plants from nearby growers. VLAM and AVBS are facilitating the challenge by quickly helping managers from outside the sector to help a nearby grower. (Source: VLAM 03-04-2020)
The Belgian Garden Centres Association, with 300 garden and plant centres as members, is asking the government to reconsider the obligation to close garden and plant centres. According to the sector association, the reopening can take place with respect for the generally applicable sanitary safety measures. The sector is looking with suspicion at the Aveve retail chain, which is allowed to remain open because animal feed is sold but at the same time flowers and plants are sold. (Source: Agricultural Attaché Network Ministry of Agriculture 02-04-2020)
With regard to border traffic: a new vignette for vital professions is likely to arrive, but the government still has to decide. Meanwhile also signals from Belgian controls at the border between the Netherlands and Wallonia. There are again two separate lanes on the E19 for goods and freight traffic and passenger traffic. The delay caused by border controls is limited. (Source: Agricultural Attaché Network Ministry of LNV 02-04-2020)
Brazil
Brazilian ornamental plant cultivation has a hard time. According to the trade union, the sector has suffered a loss of almost 60 million euros in the last two weeks. If the restrictive measures continue in the coming month, two thirds of the member companies will go bankrupt and 120 thousand people will lose their jobs. (28/03/2020) (Source: Agricultural Attaché Network Ministry of Agriculture 03-04-2020)
Denmark
In Denmark, nursery PKM has called on the Danes not to buy directly from the growers themselves but from the specialist trade. In order to give all links in the chain the opportunity to guarantee their continuity. Plants have also been donated to Danish nursing homes. (Source: Floral Daily 27-03-2020)
Ethiopia
The flower industry in Ethiopia is on the brink of a disaster with almost $11 million in losses in the past two weeks. A total of 150,000 workers are about to lose their jobs. Ethiopia currently exports less than 20% of the 160 tons of flowers that are normally shipped daily to countries including Belgium, France, Germany and the Middle East. (Source: addisfortune 01-04-2020)
France
The whole of France has labour problems. One third of companies experience difficulties in this area. The average absenteeism rate is under 10% but in 11% of the companies the absenteeism rate is 20% and in 6% of the companies the absenteeism rate is higher than 30%. In the Paris region, where 40% of companies face this problem, 'fear' is often given as a reason. In addition, there are transport problems, problems with childcare, and a shortage of masks at work. The result is often a drop in productivity, which is exacerbated by part-time work. (Source: Agricultural Attaché Network Ministry of Agriculture 03-04-2020)
An economic disaster threatens French producers of roses and lily of the valley. Neither the gardeners nor the growers in France can sell their production because the garden centres and the flower shops are closed (offline sales). Between 15 March and the end of May, this sector achieves 80% of its annual turnover. (Source: JAF info 02-04-2020)
In France, the sale of seeds, bulbs, tubers and aromatic plants for vegetable gardens is allowed again. These products are sold to consumers in garden centres that have remained open to the public because they have products for pets in their range. (Source: JAF info 02-04-2020)
Germany
Federal Minister Klöckner announces that in order to guarantee sufficient seasonal work, the rules for the deployment of foreign workers will be relaxed. For the months of April and May, 40,000 seasonal workers will be admitted in Germany per month. Together with the domestic temporary workers, this should facilitate the demand for 100,000 seasonal workers until the end of May. In order to limit the health risks for the workers and the local population, foreign seasonal workers must travel to the regions in groups (individual trips are not permitted). Local authorities are responsible for collecting the workers from the airport and transporting them to the companies in accordance with current hygiene measures. The workers must live and work in isolation from other teams for 14 days in accordance with the current quarantine scheme. (Source: Agricultural Attaché Network Ministry of Agriculture 03-04-2020)
Kenya
On March 30th the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA; the Kenyan Flower Agency is one of the members of KEPSA) launched the Flowers of Hope campaign in Nairobi with the distribution of flowers in Kenyatta National Hospital, Mbagathi Hospital, Pumwani Maternity Hospital, Mama Lucy Hospital, Mathare Hospital and Spinal Injury Hospital. Mrs. Carol Karuga, CEO of KEPSA, said: "We want to use Kenyan flowers as a symbol of our community solidarity, supporting people on the front line of or suffering from the pandemic, which will also help save thousands of farm jobs. Kenyans and other citizens join in by posting a photo of themselves with a rose with the campaign hashtag and a personal message. (Source: Floral Daily 02-04-2020)
Lockdowns affects nurseries in Kenya. Flower growers say more than 30,000 seasonal workers have already been sent home and tens of thousands of workers will lose their jobs in the coming weeks. (Source: Aljazeera 03-04-2020)
The Kenyan Flower Council has sent work guidelines (to prevent spreading and the Health and Safety Act) to comply with the COVID-19 guidelines. It also provides legal advice on how to deal with labour issues and social protection. The government has also indicated options for dealing with labour issues. (Source: Royal FloraHolland 03-04-2020)
Poland
The embassy started a survey among florists, even before the outbreak of Corona. The results will be published soon. However, we already see that many florists do not expect to survive the crisis. A majority of the florists consists of small shops that do not have sufficient reserves and are closed after the Polish government announced that schools were being closed. Because of this the parents have to take care of the children at home. Florists do not feel sufficiently supported by sector organizations. (Source: Agricultural Attaché Network Ministry of LNV 05-04-2020)
South Korea
APQA (Korean Phytosanitary Authority) has decided to accept a copy of the phytosanitary certificate for plant products imported into Korea only if it is submitted to APQA via the Dutch Embassy. (Source: Agricultural Attaché Network Ministry of Agriculture 06-04-2020)
Spain
The Spanish Ministry of Transport has made an overview of service stations and restaurants along motorways, which are open to truck drivers. View this list here (Source: Agricultural Attaché Network Ministry of Agriculture 02-04-2020)
Sweden
Sweden does not have a lockdown, but the cabinet does want to speed up the process of dealing with the corona crisis by ensuring that the parliament does not have to agree to measures. Shops in Sweden remain open, however, the 1.5 meter distance now applies as in NL. Additional measures have been taken in shops similar to those in the NL to guarantee hygiene. (Source: thelocal.se 04-04-2020)
Switzerland
In Switzerland, several petitions arose during the corona crisis: 30,000 people signed a petition that flowers should be part of the basic offer. The colors and scent of the flowers would brighten the mind. This in order to reopen the garden centres and florists. (Source: Bote.ch 06-04-2020)
UK
The British ornamental horticulture industry fears losing almost € 1 billion and businesses if British garden centres and DIY stores remain closed due to corona in the coming weeks. The Horticultural Trades Association estimates that the loss in turnover at the end of June will be £687 million (€744 million) and at the end of December £1.2 billion (€1.4 billion). On behalf of the British government, all physical garden centres, do-it-yourself shops and flower shops have been closed because they have not been designated as essential retail in these corona times. The HTA is sounding the alarm and calling on the government to reopen these shops and provide financial support to companies. The association is supported by Alan Titchmarsh, the famous TV gardener in the UK. (Source: Horticultural Trades Association 02-04-2020)
The Ministry of Agriculture takes a "pragmatic approach" to companies that are not authorised to issue plant passports: those who now choose to sell at a distance (delivery) out of necessity may continue to do so, whereas that type of sale should actually be accompanied by a plant passport. However, these companies have to demonstrate that they have an online registration as much as possible. (Source: Agricultural Attaché Network Ministry of Agriculture 03-04-2020)
Source: Royal FloraHolland