| Production manager of Dutch grower Van den Bos predicts that the European market for pot Lisianthus will
grow to a peak of about 5 million plants over the next 3-4 years. Currently the Company has plans to grow up to
700.000 plants of their dwarf series “Bolero” during 2002. Last year the series
included the single flowered types with colours: lavender, blue, dark blue,
white, white with black centre, white with blue petal
margins and pink. New for 2002 is lilac
and yellow (9 in total) and they are evaluating some double flowered material.
This considerable boom in productuion only started in 2000 with just 1.500 plants having
obtained through a Danish breeder good dwarf material; these plants produces
a much stronger root system than earlier dwarf varieties. This makes production
possible on benches with ebb and flow irrigation without particular risk of
downy mildew. Last year most sales went through the Auctions and demand in
Southern Europe, especially Spain and Italy was surprisingly strong. About 700,000 plants can be grown per hectare
and average prices are in the region of 0.39-0.50 Euro
falling to about 0.28 Euro
in the summer (but with cheaper production costs in this period). Other breeders
are following the trend with interest. “Commercial Greenhouse Grower” E-mail:
Green@actpub.co.uk |
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