Due to COVID-19 a lot of countries ordered many businesses, including garden centers to close their doors to the public. Fortunately, now increasingly more and more garden centers are allowed to open their doors. Yesterday, in Quebec, Canada, greenhouses, nurseries and garden centers were allowed to reopen their doors and now in Belgium garden centers are reopening as well.
The National Security Council decided today to reopen all garden centres in our country. AVBS and Boerenbond are satisfied with this decision, they reported on their website, which finally creates breathing space for a number of Flemish ornamental growers. Due to the corona crisis, the ornamental horticulture sector is suffering serious damage with an estimated loss of turnover of 135 million euros. Especially those who are mainly focused on sales on the domestic market will again have a market for (part of) their product. In addition to the domestic market, which now offers some prospects, ornamental growers are hoping to get exports of flowers and plants back on track soon.
In the coming weeks, more garden centers that were ordered to close their doors, will be able to reopen again as governments in more and more countries are gradual lifting restrictions in public life.
On the website of Royal FloraHolland, updates from the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), can be found regarding the impact of the virus in different countries. Click here for the country update of today, April 16.
