A quarter of all flower and plant wholesalers in The Netherlands has gone bankrupt over the last six years. Total export turnover increased by only 3.3% during that same period, suggesting continuous consolidation in the industry.
The figures come from the latest "Typically Wholesale” report by Dutch wholesale flower trade association VGB, which details the latest developments in the industry. The report bases itself on official data from the Agricultural Wholesale Board (HBAG) – the last figures it will ever publish, in fact, as the board has been abolished.
Moderate increase in exports
Dutch flora export turnover increased from just € 5,097 million to € 5,267 million between 2008 and 2013. The economic crisis affected the industry – which previously registered annual sales growth of a good couple of percent – severely. Last year, export value in fact decreased by 2.3%. Cut flowers had a hard time in particular: their output remained virtually unchanged over the last six years, except for a short peak in 2012.
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