Anthurium industry chain hit by the pandemic, expanding exports to balance prices

 

Hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic, with the Level 3 epidemic alert about to reach two full months, religious venues, celebrations and public commercial promotional activities have all been suspended, dealing a severe blow to the flower market that relies heavily on such domestic demand, but relevant flower associations are still working hard on exports, reducing price declines as much as possible. Pan Yongxiang, secretary-general of the Taiwan Anthurium Industry Development Association, said that it was originally expected that prices under the pandemic impact might fall to only 1/3 per bunch, but thanks to export efforts, prices have still retained 1/2 of the original per bunch.

 

Pan Yongxiang said that the biggest difference between Taiwan, China's domestic demand market and foreign markets is that the domestic flower demand market relies heavily on weddings, funerals, celebrations, religious ceremonies, and the traditional graduation season peak each year, but due to the pandemic impact, religious activities and others have been suspended, temples and other venues have also closed, and demand for anthuriums, the mainstream flowers used at religious venues in the past, has dropped sharply.

 

In early May, anthuriums still fetched 10.4 yuan per bunch at wholesale flower markets across Taiwan, China, while in early July they were 8.2 yuan per bunch, a decrease of 21.3%, and the trading volume in early July was 92,465 bunches, a decrease of 64.6% from 261,415 bunches in early May.

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Pan Yongxiang said that anthuriums have indeed been affected by the pandemic, with prices and trading volumes declining, but because half of domestic anthurium production is mainly exported to Japan, from May 15 to July 6 this year, 21.34 tonnes of anthuriums were exported to Japan, compared with 30.05 tonnes in the same period last year. Although there was a decrease, as the Japanese Olympics are about to be held and Japan's domestic market has begun to recover, recent anthurium exports to Japan are expected to increase and grow further.

 

Pan Yongxiang also pointed out that in response to the pandemic, and because anthuriums last a long time in a vase, the association previously launched a 299 yuan gift box containing 12 anthuriums on its website, and starting July 19 it will also cooperate with the Taipei Flower and Greenery Station to send anthurium potted flowers to cheer on clinics administering vaccinations, and will also give away 20,000 anthuriums to members of the public coming to get vaccinated.

 

Pan Yongxiang also said that under the pandemic impact, not only have flower farmers in production areas been greatly affected, flower shops have also been hugely affected, but many flower shops are now flexibly launching new plans to reduce the impact, such as offering online flower arrangement courses, or launching flower material packs delivered to the home. The flower material packs not only contain various colourful flowers, but also include handmade jam and more. "Facing the pandemic, rather than complaining, everyone wants to quickly show resilience and think of new ways to respond. The pandemic will eventually pass."