In December, more restrictive measures against COVID-19 were introduced in many European countries, including two of the first destinations for Spanish flower and live plant exports: Germany and the Netherlands. These have closed all garden and DIY centers until at least mid-January, causing a new drop in exports in December. As a result, the Spanish export of flowers and live plants in 2020 will remain at the same level as in the previous year, with a total value of 435 million Euro, according to FEPEX estimates.
The cultivation and export of flowers and live plants has been severely affected by the pandemic in 2020, as sales stopped completely during the lockdown due to the closure of their stores, which were considered non-essential.
In Spain, the sector, united under the Fepex Flower and Plants Committee, is facing 2021 with great concern due to a drastic drop in sales to garden centers and companies responsible for landscape restoration and public works. Still, there is reason for hope, as the government is expected to include the sector for the first time in the CAP support plan.
The crisis suffered by the sector in 2020 has highlighted some of its main weaknesses. In the field of production and marketing, it is a priority to address the lack of organization, the need for investment, as well as the promotion of consumption, taking into account the changes that are taking place in consumer habits and the replacement of traditional distribution channels.
It is also necessary to improve the position of Spanish companies in the international retail landscape with a wider product range and the “Flowers and Plants from Spain” quality mark. Flowers and plants should also be given the status of basic products, both in the garden centers and in the supermarket.
In order to allow the sector to overcome the above difficulties, the Fepex Flower and Plant Committee aims to tackle the competitive disadvantages with other European producers and to maximize its own strengths. To make progress in this respect, Fepex has asked the Ministry of Agriculture to include the flower and plant sector in the Strategic Plan of the future CAP.
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FEPEX
www.fepex.es