Over the last few weeks, Kenya has had a lot of rain and this wet weather delayed the rose production. Not good timing in the run up to Valentine's Day (February 14). As a result, less roses are on the market which results in higher prices. The prices of the red and other colored roses are about 10 percent higher compared to last year, explains Remco van der Arend of van der Arend Roses, a Dutch rose grower. Only the prices of white seems to lag behind this year.
Remco van der Arend
Van der Arend grows 8 varieties of large flowering roses on 11 ha in Maasland, the Netherlands. The roses are being sold directly and through the auction clock and find their way throughout Europe - but the most to Germany, the UK, Italy and Poland.
The red rose - the Valentine's color - in their assortment is the Red Eagle of German rose breeder Kordes Roses. Since 2015, they produce this variety and the interest in it continues to grow. Special about this rose is the color, explains Remco. "It is one of the few roses with such a bright red color and it hardly has any thorns."
Red Eagle in the greenhouse
Van der Arend was already pleased with the sales of Red Eagle last Christmas and due to the positive run-up to Valentine's Day, 2020 kicks off well too. "The prices on the auction are about 10 percent higher compared to last year, not only for Red Eagle, but also for the other colors in the assortment. Also for these varieties, the prices are about 10 percent higher." White, however, lags a bit behind this year - for this, Van der Arend does not know the reason.
However, for the increase in the prices for the other roses, he knows the reason. "Compared to last year, Kenya has had more rains. Due to this wet weather, the supply out of Kenya is under pressure. In contrast, Ethiopia has a good production, but with this production, the gap that Kenya leaves is not being filled. As the demand is high for Valentine's Day, a logical result is the higher price."
And the demand might even be higher than previous years, "Nowhere in Europe, it is significantly cold and this means good 'sales weather'."
For more inform
ation
Arend Roses
Email: [email protected]
www.arendroses.nl