Thirteen leading cut rose breeders, organized in CIOPORA and its Crop Section Cut Rose IRBA, have called upon players of the rose business to observe and respect breeders’ Intellectual Property rights worldwide. The open letter distributed among cut rose propagators, growers, and their associations raises awareness towards Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) on the eve of Valentine’s Day 2022, the year’s peak in the global rose consumption.
Increasingly, rose breeders are facing unauthorized propagation of their protected rose varieties in different countries. This illegal practice not only violates the exclusive rights of breeders but also undermines the progress in horticulture and has a negative impact on the trade. By investing in the development of new and improved rose cultivars, breeders lay a foundation for the development of global horticulture. The new and improved rose varieties with a higher yield, resistance to abiotic stresses, longer shelf and vase life, and trendy colors provide competitive advantage and income premiums to the authorized growers and propagators.
The open letter stresses the importance of prior authorization by a title-holder for any use or sale of a protected variety, including cut flowers or any other part of plants. Plant material obtained from an unauthorized source constitutes a PBR infringement, both in the country where it is produced and the countries where it is sold. While the plants propagated or planted without authorization are illegal and can be uprooted, the harvested cut flowers are illegal as well and can be seized either at the borders by customs, or at points of storage and sale, in territories where PBR is in force. Breeders, therefore, invite all persons and companies to first always contact the PBR title-holder, seeking a written approval and a corresponding license.
CIOPORA Secretary General Dr. Edgar Krieger says: “Bringing excellent new varieties to the market, breeders should be able to rely on their partners upholding their end of the bargain. What the cut rose breeders are asking for is the sector’s commitment to fair business practices, where breeders can receive a sufficient return on their high investments in breeding.” The Chairman of CIOPORA Crop Section Cut Rose IRBA Bruno Etavard comments: “Giving roses on Valentine’s Day has become an ultimate expression of love. The open letter is the breeders’ appeal for more transparency, fairness and mutual respect in the rose production and trade.”
Click here to download the Open Letter by the Cut Rose Breeders