The floriculture market was one of the most affected by the pandemic and had huge problems selling its production, both internally and externally.
As the president of Portugal Fresh (Association for the Promotion of Fruits, Vegetables and Flowers in Portugal) reminds DN/Dinheiro Vivo: in 2020 and in just three weeks, the six associated companies in the field of flowers and ornamental plants reported real losses. in turnover of more than three million euros”.
Three years later, stability has still not returned to the sector, which in Portugal and the rest of Europe fluctuates between expectation and uncertainty, says Gonçalo Santos Andrade. “The market is waiting to see how the year will go. There are companies affiliated with Portugal Fresh that expect a slight growth, as there will not be great market conditions for substantial sales increases,” complains the person in charge.
Last year, the export figures seemed to indicate a recovery for the Portuguese ornamental plant trade, as there was a growth of 4% compared to 2021. This translated into 132 million euros in exported plants and an increase of 28% in volume (119 million euros ). kilograms). However, the association leader warns that, “accounting done, the value per kilo has fallen dramatically – 19%. This means that the growth in exports is not compensating for the increase in costs and inflation”.
To bring ornamental plants back to the international market, Portugal Fresh was present last month at IPM Essen, a world fair in the flower and ornamental plant sector, with four associated companies.
Participation in the fair was very positive for Gonçalo Santos Andrade, as these companies had the opportunity to find customers and make new contacts. “With this investment in external promotion, we prove the enormous resilience of the producers. Despite the challenging context and all the obstacles they have faced over the past two years, they returned to the largest exhibition in this sector and showed tremendous competitiveness he stated. .
Contacts were made and meetings with new and old clients followed each other. But the real work happens later, on the return to Portugal, with the continuity of these contacts and the effective realization of the sale. “Each company has its own specific business plan,” says the President of Portugal Fresh, without prejudging the company figures conducted during the fair.
Call to the government
Portuguese exports of fruit, vegetables and flowers reached the highest value ever in 2022: 2040 million euros.
According to Gonçalo Santos Andrade, this is an absolute record for the sector and has long been a desired goal. “This result means an increase of 15.6% compared to 2021. In terms of volume, international sales also grew by 13.6% to 1835 million kilos,” says the president of Portugal Fresh.
However, in order to maintain this growth rate, the chairman of that association calls on the government to properly value the sector. “Competing in a global market, we are starting in very unequal conditions compared to our main competitors, especially Spain. We have been calling for years for more public investment in the sector and a clear sign of recognition that agriculture is absolutely strategic for the country’s economy he says.
Gonçalo Santos Andrade states that the institution he heads “defends structural changes in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food that imply not only the retention of the Secretary of State for Agriculture, but also the creation of a Secretary of State for Food”.
And, he emphasizes, saying that the sector needs a Ministry of Agriculture and Food – which is headed by Maria do Céu Antunes – robust, competent, able to face the many challenges and which works closely with the sector . “This new structure, albeit temporary, clearly does not serve a sector that has growth ambitions and has been investing for decades in entering new markets, in innovation and in the production of essential foodstuffs,” defends Portugal’s leader Fresh.
Mónica Costa is a journalist for Dinheiro Vivo
Source: DN
