Brexit impact: Rose exports expected to rise by 30% ahead of Valentine’s Day
According to Praveen Sharma, president of ISFP, India’s total rose exports touched ₹22 crore in November 2023 and may cross ₹65 crore as compared to ₹52 crore in 2023.
Farmers are expecting a 30 per cent rise in rose exports this year ahead of Valentine’s Day which will be celebrated on February 14.
According to officials of the Talegaon-based Indian Society of Floriculture Professionals (ISFP), due to Brexit, there are restrictions on imports coming from the Netherlands and European Union (EU) countries to the United Kingdom (UK), as they have to pass through stringent checks thus discouraging them to export flowers.
According to Praveen Sharma, president of ISFP, India’s total rose exports touched ₹22 crore in November 2023 and may cross ₹65 crore as compared to ₹52 crore in 2023.
As per statistics shared by ISFP, rose export of India in 2018-19 was ₹ 57.46 crore, ₹ 47.94 crore in 2019-20, ₹27.43 in 2020-21, ₹ 36.77 crore in 2021-22, ₹ 52.87 in 2022-23 and ₹22 crore till November 2023.
“Brexit has worked to India’s advantage. All the imports coming from the Netherlands by trucks must pass through more stringent checks, thus discouraging them from exporting flowers to the UK. As a result of which there is demand for our flowers hence we can expect a rise in rose export,” Sharma said.
Indian roses have a distinct image in the international market and are primarily exported to the UK (35% of total exports), Australia (19%) and Japan (18%) followed by special orders for the Valentine season from Malaysia, Singapore and the Gulf countries. Maval taluka in Pune district is a major floriculture hub for the cultivation of export-quality flowers.
Sharma said, the UK government has been urged to reassure Britons there will be no shortage of red roses for Valentine’s Day due to new Brexit checks. Fruit, vegetable and flower importers are urging the UK government to provide more detail on the wave of new red tape imposed on imports coming in at the end of January and April. And Dutch flower growers have called on the government to delay the looming border controls – warning EU exporters are not ready.
Also, the war in Europe and the energy crisis have discouraged the growers in Europe from growing flowers during the winter. This is mainly because of high energy consumption on climate control, which includes heating, artificial lighting, CO2 enrichment and above all the high labour costs.
According to ISFP, India’s flower exports are back on track again and now due to the resurgent economy and growing domestic market, flower growers have reason to cheer once again. This year, there are great opportunities in the international market as well.
Jaysingh Hulawle, director at Pavana Sanskruti Farmer Producer Company, Maval, said, “This year we have experienced good growing seasons. We are expecting ₹15 lakh export business and ₹10 lakh from the domestic market. ‘’
According to Hulawle, growers from Maval are facing international cargo issues and hence asked the central government to intervene.
The current price for Indian roses stands at ₹1,000 for 18 stems in the UK. Premium rose varieties of 6 cm bud sizes and 70 cm stems fetch ₹250-300 per rose in the UK market.
