Booming demand combined with supply challenges created sky-high flower prices this Valentine’s Day. But rising energy costs could push the price of a bouquet even higher, sparking concern for Australia's struggling growers. The price of expressing love rose dramatically this Valentine’s Day, with the cost of a dozen red roses hitting $140 (£73).
Massive hikes in the cost of imported roses have been blamed on the global pandemic and its ongoing supply chain problems. Now, analysts are warning energy costs could also be passed on to consumers as demand for flowers is set to rise even further due to bigger celebrations of social occasions.
According to Flower Industry Australia (FIA), higher import costs plus the long-term impact of plant producers having to close their doors over the past decade have led to country-wide shortages. An FIA spokesperson said: “The closure of more than 3,000 Australian rose growers over the past 10-15 years has created a real void in the marketplace. Global supply reliance is always a risk and now the industry is feeling the pain.
“Unfortunately, many rose growers were pushed out of business by the rise of importers, cheap roses from overseas, and the ease of lower supply. Reliance on imports is proving to be problematic for the Australian industry across the board. This is a lesson for us all.”
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