Auctioneers soon notice on the clock when everyone has to get back to work, says auctioneer Plants Elmar Nonkes. The numbers are picking up, and the pricing is usually too, although this year, things are a bit different. Furthermore, in the column below, Elmar has another great tip for people looking for an entertaining yet educational team outing.
Now that all the school holidays are over, it really is time for us all to get back to work. Kids are back in school, and parents are back in the office. Although the holidays were wonderful, the clock is once again waiting for us.
Not a bad summer for flowering houseplants
As auctioneers, we notice pretty quickly when the holidays come to an end. The numbers pick up, and towards 'the return' usually the pricing too. However, this year is a little different than usual. I heard around me that the return was a bit disappointing in some cases, but that is actually quite simple to explain: it is because we did not have a bad summer for flowering houseplants, with some products being expensive. Take pot Halaenopsis, for instance, which, unlike previous years, practically did not fall through the lower limit. But Kalanchoe and pot Chrysanthemum also recorded prices you would not have thought possible in previous years during the summer period. As a result, the contrast with previous years is a lot less.
We see a similar picture with flowers. The summer went on fine, but the comeback is a bit lacking. Buyers find prices quite high for the moment, while growers compare prices with last year, making them a bit disappointing for them. Certainly, roses lag quite a bit in pricing compared to last year. Exceptions to the rule were Panicum and Tanacetum. Those prices improved compared to 2022.
Team outing auctioneers: sailing along the Tulip Route
To 'celebrate' the end of summer, we planned another team outing with the entire team of auctioneers and managers, flowers and plants, Aalsmeer, Naaldwijk & Rijnsburg. Here, we first had lunch, after which we went sailing through the polders of Roelofarendsveen on two large barges.
While sailing the 'Tulip route,' we were given a history lesson by (former) growers Kees. Kees could articulate beautifully how things used to be in 'de Veen' and how many millions of tulips are scalded every year in Roelofarendsveen. Nice information for me personally as an auctioneer of flowering houseplants because I usually don't learn that much about tulips in my work. In short, it was a very entertaining day with all my colleagues from the various locations and departments.
If you are still looking for a fun team outing, I would definitely recommend checking out the website: detulpenroute.nl. Here you will find all the information you need.