"It was the last weekend to sell the callunas," Marco Stolze says. He works from Royal FloraHolland and Floriday and manages the daily offer of Direct Bidding. He has been a buyer of the clocks for some 25 years, which still gives him a nostalgic feeling. At the Rhein-Maas auction in Germany, clock sales still happen, and there Calluna were sold against a very good price.
Quality over price
Marco says: "The season is ending now, prices are very favorable, especially the latter has been very good. Demand is higher than supply, and at Calluna, it's about selling pure batches. These are also offered on the clock, but especially direct sales from a grower are of very high quality. On the latter, there is always stress in the market, because where are the good lots? Quality is more important than price, and that feeling seems to be even stronger this year than in previous years."
"Calluna is mainly grown in Germany, and there are new varieties every year. The newest and best varieties are often no longer available by early October, but even for the standard lots you have to look very carefully," he continues.
All Souls' Day
1 November is All Souls' Day, a day of remembrance from the Roman Catholic tradition. A day that is a day off in most European countries, including Germany, Marco says. "For trade, it is also an important day because many plants are bought. Skimmias, Chrysanthemums, Calluna, Erika, and Gaultheria are very strong plants and are used a lot for that. The supermarkets are already full of heather, berries, and chrysanthemums and it is expected to be sold quickly as well."
Christmas trees
The Christmas season seems to start earlier every year, and Marco also notices this. "In a week or two, sales of Christmas trees will start again. The smaller trees are already sold from September, and poinsettias are also already on the market. Most garden centers in the Netherlands are already Christmas-ready by the end of September, especially those on the border with Germany. Whereas Dutch people usually start Christmas shopping after Sinterklaas, that's when German Christmas shopping is already done."
For more information:
Marco Stolze
Business Owner "Direct Bieden"
Tel: +31 (0)6 30728817
[email protected]
www.floriday.io