Flower business perks up during Christmas — study

To those in the flower business, Christmas is one period of the year happily looked forward to.

It is a time when the flower industry perks up, what with many people grabbing every bloom to brighten up their Christmas celebration.

Just before this long holiday, floral farms and gardens explode in a riot of colors – red, yellow, white, orange, violet.

Most commonly grown cutflowers include roses, orchids, daisies, asters, chrysanthemums, anthuriums, gladioli, heliconias, statice, and baby’s breath.

The flower harvest meets the demands of flower shops, hotels, restaurants, churches, offices, and homes.

The peak in cutflower business is usually observed during Christmas, Valentine’s Day, All Saints’ Day, flower festivals, and "weddingest" months.

Surveys conducted in the past have attested to the high demand for cutflowers during these times of the year. High quantities of cutflowers are sold in November, December, February, April, May, and June.

The prices varied according to variety, quality of flower, and month traded. The high cost of transport also contributed to fluctuation of prices in the market.

A PCARRD study titled "Market-oriented cropping system of cutflowers" indicated that rose and daisy were the most preferred cutflowers in the market.

Wholesalers and retailers trimmed, processed, regraded, and packaged the flowers. They also delivered flower arrangements to customers. – RAF