Flower power: scent of success for industry in bloom
Published 19 July, 2008, 03:59
Flowers from a rosarium in Russia’s Penza region which are proving a huge hit in markets across the country could now be set to conquer Europe. It is all thanks to a Dutchman who has brought the know-how and technology from his homeland and adapted it to Russia’s unforgiving climate.
Dutch agronomist Joseph Eeuues is pleased with the progress his business is making and revealed the secret of his success.
“Roses grow in specially-made soil – it’s made of soft stone,” he said. “There is a separate dropper for each plant. It’s better for the flowers as it helps to control humidity.”
When asked whether flowers may one day become a Russian symbol, he says it would be difficult. But difficult doesn’t mean impossible.
Joseph says that with every-day monitoring, zeal and patience, combined with a special Russian approach, miracles could happen.
The rosary started eight years ago with a field measuring two square kilometres. By the year 2010 it will occupy 300 hectares and the harvest will grow from today’s 30,000 flowers to 200,000 per day.
Roses leave the greenhouse every day destined for someone’s birthday, wedding or anniversary.
For some they’ll bring lots of happiness, but others are not looking at the sentiments, but the considerable financial gain they can make, due to the enormous profitability of the flower business.
It seems people will always be sniffing out flowers, with statistics showing they're spending hundreds of dollars each year on the latest bouquets.
Bunches from this rosary already go to a number of Russia’s big cities – from Chelyabinsk to Moscow and St Petersburg, and are also sent to the country’s closest neighbours.
But head of sales Svetlana Potyemina says the major goal is to seize the European market.
“We can compete with the world’s top producers – Ecuador. First we can squeeze them out of Russia’s markets and then go to conquer their own,” Potyemina says.
And who knows, maybe one day Russia’s most famous symbols of Matryoshka dolls, vodka and caviar will be replaced in people’s minds by Russia’s flowers.
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