After more than four decades in the horticultural industry, Antonio Jordao and his team at Rosas da Batalha have decided it's time to step down. The Portuguese nursery is now officially on the market.
From cut flowers to potted plants
Founded in 1982 in Santo Antão, Rosas da Batalha began as a cut flower nursery. "We established Rosas da Batalha in 1982 as a nursery focusing on cut flowers, especially carnations, gerberas, and roses," Antonio recalls. Over the years, the business evolved significantly. "Later, we replaced the original wooden greenhouses with modern metallic ones equipped with heating and started soilless cultivation of gerberas, which was innovative for Portugal."
Around the year 2000, the nursery shifted focus from gerberas to roses, adopting the bending system. "Rosas da Batalha became known for the high quality of its roses," he says. In 2020, the company sold its rose nursery and concentrated solely on potted plants, with Dipladenia becoming the flagship crop, mainly for the Dutch market.
5.5 hectares of production
Today, Rosas da Batalha operates across 5.5 hectares. "The current nursery spans 3.5 hectares of greenhouses used for growing strelitzias (50,000 pots annually) and chrysanthemums (40,000 pots annually). Additionally, 2 hectares are dedicated to outdoor pot roses, which produce 80,000 pots each year," explains Antonio.
The nursery focuses on growing relatively large plants using 10-liter pots for strelitzias and 4-liter pots for roses and chrysanthemums. "Our strelitzias are sold with flowers, which requires them to be at least 3 years old," he adds.
Mixed market, strong infrastructure
The business serves both domestic and export markets. "Strelitzias are mainly exported, while roses and chrysanthemums are primarily for the domestic market," Antonio notes.
The nursery is being sold as a fully operational business. "We are selling the company, which includes a fully equipped nursery with land, infrastructure, and staff. The nursery is currently in full operation," he says.
Strategic location and skilled labor
Located just 20 km from the Atlantic coast, the nursery benefits from a favorable microclimate. "The region offers a mild winter and a cool summer, ideal for growing. It also has good motorway connections to Lisbon and Porto," Antonio explains. The site is supported by a well-trained local labor force and has access to abundant, high-quality water from two deep wells.
Ready for the next chapter
With retirement on the horizon, Antonio is looking for the right successor. "Someone looking to expand an existing business to a new location or wanting to combine plant growth under different climatic conditions would be the best fit," he says.
Looking ahead, Antonio hopes the nursery's legacy of quality and innovation will be upheld. "We want the nursery to maintain its focus on innovation and continue being recognized for the top quality of its plant material."
For more information:
Rosas da Batalha
+351-965102375
[email protected]
www.rosasdabatalha.com