At Dutch rose grower Porta Nova in Waddinxveen, Valentine's Day is always a special period. Although the production of roses remains stable year-round to ensure quality, the Valentine's Day rush brings extra hectic activity especially in sales and logistics. "For some departments it is busier than usual, especially in sales and logistics," says Stefan van Vuuren of Porta Nova. "The patterns are different than in regular weeks, so we have to shift gears more." Still, not everyone in the sizable company experiences the peak with equal intensity. "There are employees who barely notice it and only realize at the last moment: oh, it's Valentine's Day?"
Influences from international rose growing
Porta Nova feels the influence of global rose cultivation, especially from countries such as Kenya and Ecuador. "Roses from the Netherlands actually make up only a small part of the market," Stefan explains. "The rest comes mainly from South America and Africa." Instability in these regions can have direct consequences for Dutch growers. "If the supply from Kenya, for example, is lower than expected, you see panic in the chain and prices rise early on. Demand then also partially shifts to the Netherlands."
Price increases during Valentine's Day
This has an obvious impact on market prices, as they skyrocketed this year. "Revenue sometimes double or even triple," Stefan explains. "This is not only due to supply -or lack thereof- from abroad, but also due to generally increased market prices. Within the Dutch assortment you then see that cheaper flowers and second quality are bought up first, and eventually the absolute top goes last."
Rules of the game
As a grower, Porta Nova also has to deal with the challenges surrounding making cultivation more sustainable, which also affects the price of roses. Stefan: "We want to grow in an honest and sustainable way, but it must also be financially sound. Our Futura rose is therefore also a nice step, but it also comes with a price tag. We use LED, heat and cold storage in the soil, wind energy and alternative crop protection products, but also have to compete with products from other continents where different rules of the game apply. Our efforts increase the cost price, and we hope the market price moves with it. We believe in the future, but that costs money. Whether it will succeed? 100%. But you hope the market continues to pay for it."
Dutch growers' right to exist
In addition to price developments, Porta Nova also sees changes in consumer preference. "The popularity of red roses is declining. The quality of red roses is stable, but did take a dent during the energy crisis. In addition, field bouquets and other flower varieties are gaining ground," Stefan notes. Still, the Dutch rose remains a quality product. The 1.5 million stems that went out the door at Porta Nova this week remain in Europe. Something Stefan is proud of. "As a grower we do our best to make the best possible product, and the trade also knows better and better how to handle it. If the consumer then also handles the roses well, Dutch roses should stay for two weeks. That remains the goal. That is the right to exist for all growers in the Netherlands and that is what we are going for."
And whether he will take home a bunch of red roses himself today? Stefan laughs, "I do get off easy with a bunch of red roses, but if I don't, it's not good either."
For more information:
Porta Nova
Tel: +31 (0)6 51 61 02 36
marc@portanova.nl
www.portanova.nl