“Fleuroselect is more than the international organisation for the bedding and pot plant sector. It is a family”. These opening words from Floranova’s Managing Director Dominic Lacey welcomed more than 100 delegates to the 45th Annual Convention in Norfolk, U.K. from 22nd to 24th July 2014.
Lacey went on to emphasise the importance of working together as a family to ensure that the needs and concerns of the sector are taken seriously in the light of increasing bureaucracy and regulation.
Hosted by Floranova
Floranova U.K.’s leading flower seed breeder, was the key host at this annual event in the international horticultural sector, which combines company/trial visits with high-level networking opportunities. The delegates were able to enjoy Floranova’s extensive trial fields and patio displays with combination pots of both ornamentals and edibles. Floranova’s sister company Vegetalis is world-renowned for the breeding, production and marketing of vegetable seed for the ornamental sector. The trials also showed the current Entries in the Fleuroselect 2014 Trials and the latest Gold Medal and FleuroStar winners.
New president for Fleuroselect
Herman Hamer, CEO of Florensis was elected by the membership as Fleuroselect’s 19th President. Hamer has been a Board member for 12 years. Florensis provides professional growers with plant propagation material from both seed and cuttings. The company’s extensive line of plants consists of summer-flowering annuals, Viola, Primula, biennial and perennial crops and pot plants, such as Cyclamen.
Retiring President Nils Klemm of German breeder and young plant producer Selecta Klemm was thanked for furthering the integration of the cutting-raised business into Fleuroselect. Furthermore, he has played a leading role in putting the FleuroStar Award, Fleuroselect's prize for retail, on the horticultural map.
Vegetable Breeders for Home Gardening Market welcomed as a Member
In order to develop the Fleuroselect Home Garden Association in a market which embraces both ornamentals and edibles, a change to the Fleuroselect articles was approved allowing Vegetable Companies breeding for home gardeners to join the membership. Major vegetable suppliers have been present at recent Home Garden conferences and this year´s event will be hosted by Enza Zaden at their facilities in Heidelberg.
Membership for Asian companies
Six companies have been accepted as a member during the Annual General Meeting. No less than three of them operate in Asia and/or the Middle East:
- Aga Agro produces plugs and seedlings for growers in Thailand and South East Asia.
- Beijing FloriBreeders Seeds produces plugs and seedlings for growers and distributes bulk and packet seed to seed companies and retailers in China
- The Turkish Tasaco, part of the Dr. Tarsa Group, produces bulk seed and plugs for growers and retailers in Turkey and the Middle-East
The following European companies also become full members:
- Dalina Genetics (DK) breeds Dahlia, Osteospermum, Gentiana and Adenium and sells cuttings or young plants to growers worldwide
- Ex-Plant (DK) breeds peppers, Exacum and Senecio for growers and seed companies worldwide
- SeedSense (U.K.) breeds, produces and distributes Sunflower seed and seedlings
Source: Fleuroselect
