Dutch 2023 plant and flower exports decline by 4 per cent to €6.8bn

Pretty in pink: Chrysanthemum ‘Maipo’.

The latest export statistics released by Dutch industry body VGB and market analyst Floridata at the start of this year (2024) indicates that Dutch exporters of plants and flower struggled to attract foreign markets in 2023.

Dutch 2023 plant and flower exports fell by 4 per cent, from €7.1bn in 2022 to €6.8bn in 2023. Regarding the total value of exports, cut flowers suffered most, showing a 5 per cent decrease (€4.2bn). Houseplants fared slightly better showing a 3 per cent (€2.6bn) drop.

Exports of flowers and plants to Germany increased in 2020 and in 2021. In 2022, they remained strong but were down slightly compared to 2021.

Then, in 2023, they fell by 2.3 per cent – from € 1,069m in 2022 to €1.709m in 2023. Yet, compared to the dramatic 7 and 10 per cent drop in exports to the UK and France respectively, Germany did not perform as badly.

Regardless of the importance and relevance of flowers and plants, the pertinent question is as to whether consumers can afford flowers, plants and other horticultural products in times of inflation, gloom and doom, and crisis.