The high season, which starts in September and continues until spring, has started as usual this year in the Netherlands. However, the amount of flowers from Israel is currently lower than in other years. This, of course, has to do with the current situation in that country. In the article below, Arnona van Faasen, responsible for the import of flowers from Israel at Aviv Flowers and based in the Netherlands, explains the situation.
First of all, the current events have shocked the country, and everyone knows someone who has been a victim of the violence. That is the background against which more concrete, more practical problems have arisen for the flower trade.
Transportation
Firstly, flowers are currently only flown with Israeli airlines such as ELAL and CA.L. Other airlines no longer fly from and to Israel, Arnona explains.
On top of that, labor is a major problem. The border posts with Gaza have been completely closed since that tragic day of October 7. As a result, the workers, some thousands of people who traveled back and forth every day, could no longer enter the country. This also includes people who worked in nurseries and service industries. In addition, many Arab and Thai employees also worked there, many of whom left the country for security reasons.
Additionally, the country was in a state of emergency, and many men had been drafted by the army. Lastly, the students have returned to school and are therefore no longer available to work at the nurseries.
Fortunately, according to Arnona, many volunteers come to help, but together, they cannot compensate for the shortages that have arisen. "All this means that the supply started later this year, that some products arrived later, and that other products are not available at all. However, it is still too early to make an assessment, we expect to have a more concrete insight into this by the end of this month."
Aviv Flowers
The first flowers were exported from Israel in '72. At that time, the logistics were in the hands of the state-owned company Agrexco. Aviv, in short, was the logistics branch within this organization. However, in '92, the company continued as an independent exporter of flowers, but also of herbs, fruits, and vegetables. With the bankruptcy of Agrexco in 2011, Aviv became the largest supplier of flowers from Israel to the Dutch, but also German and Belgian auctions. The company maintains that position to this day.
For more information:
Aviv Flowers
Arnona van Faasen
Email: arnona@aviv-flower.co.il
https://www.aviv-flower.co.il/