Almost $100 million is the export value of the over 500 species and three thousand varieties of ornamental plants, cut flowers and foliage shipped in 2015.
Monday, November 7, 2016
Of the total production of flowers, ornamental plants and foliage,80% goes to the international market, while the remaining 20% is sold locally.In 2015 salesabroad totaled $95.3 million, and between January and August this year the figure has already exceeded $70 million.
For this year the Commission of Ornamental Plants, Foliage and flowers at Agexport expects to close the year with growth of 8 to 10%, and for 2017, it is around 12%.
Brigitte Obrock, manager of the commission, told Prensalibre.com that"... a challenge for the sector is exporting more finished product, because currently a lot of raw materials are sent, because in America there are non - tariff barriers that do not allow them to enter. 'In Europe these do not exist, one can send a container of plants arranged as a finished product in a pot ... for the United States they export only the stem of the plant which nurseries recieve and then they grow them, they put them in a pot and take them to the end consumer.The challenge would be to export more finished products, because these are sold at a higher price," she said."
The company Vita Farms, S.A. in Villa Canales, cultivates ornamental plants for export.Luis Pacheco, operations manager, explained that"...'90% of the market is for the United States and Canada. We produce cuttings for houseplants, patio and outdoor plants; we have some 360 varieties of plants'."
On July 29th training will be provided in Guatemala on the requirements and conditions to export flowers, foliage and ornamental plants to Mexico.
From a statement issued by the Guatemalan Exporters Association (Agexport):
The Committee on Ornamental Plants, Foliage and flowers at AGEXPORT, in order to open new markets for member companies, has reached an agreement with the Agricultural Department of the Embassy of Mexico to provide tools which aim to provide entry for Guatemalan ornamental products into the neighboring country because of the barriers that have existed in previous years.
Foreign sales of flowers, foliage and ornamental plants increased by 8% in 2012, totaling $81 million, which is $8 million more than last year.
The sector projected for this year an increase of 6.2% in exports. "Businessmen and producers see that it is necessary to promote growth of the sector and view the crisis in European countries as an opportunity", said Brigitte Obrock, coordinator of the commission of Ornamental Foliage and flowers at Agexport.
In Guatemala shipments abroad rose 9% in 2011, bringing revenues of $30.5 million, $3.4 million more than last year.
The Committee of Ornamental Plants, Foliage and Flowers of the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (Agexport) reported that up to December 2011 the sector's exports increased by 3% to Europe and the United States and 6% to Central America, and in total recorded 9% growth compared to 2010.
The Guatemalan industry of ornamental plants, flowers and foliage in Guatemala is growing at an annual rhythm of 10%.
This sector, that generates annual incomes close to $100 million, groups more than 125 companies that produce and export nearly 80 species and 200 varieties of ornamental plants, foliage and flowers, indicated the director of the ornamental plants commission of the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (Agexport), Briggitte Obrock.
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