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The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) members consist of thousands of growers of flowers and ornamental plants around the world who are together united by one essential goal – promoting the place of plants in people’s lives.
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AIPH is responsible for approving the world’s most exceptional horticultural expos creating long lasting green legacies in cities across the globe.
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AIPH Blooming Economies & Cities to Inspire the World
AIPH Blooming Economies & Cities to Inspire The World 2.0. Up-to-date statistics from recent Expos hosted in Asia and Europe.
Learn moreAIPH hosts several conferences, webinars and events such as the International Grower of the Year award throughout the year. Read about these along with the latest news about the association’s activities.
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AIPH International Grower of the Year
The AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards celebrate the best of the best in ornamental horticulture
Learn moreAIPH’s key aim is to stimulate demand for ornamental trees, plants and flowers worldwide. We are committed to supporting growers in achieving this by protecting and promoting the interests of the industry.
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The AIPH’s Global Industry Intelligence Centre (GIIC) is an international hub for industry information and knowledge exchange.
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Country Profile - Thailand
The report contains insights on production and consumption of the floriculture industry in Thailand, imports and exports, and business opportunities
DownloadAIPH Green City activities promote the essential role of plants in creating vibrant urban areas in which people and businesses can thrive.
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14 September 2025 - 18 September 2025 , CEST Ghent, Belgium
The 77th AIPH Annual Congress took place from 14–18 September 2025 in the beautiful city of Ghent in Belgium, with the support of AIPH Member in Belgium AVBS.
This year’s agenda focused on sustainability, technological innovation, and AI developments in horticulture. Delegates heard from global experts in horticultural sustainability and technology, received updates from upcoming AIPH-approved Expos, and experienced Belgium’s dynamic floriculture industry first-hand.
The Conference featured progress reports from upcoming AIPH-approved Expos.
International Horticultural Expos
International Green Expos
International Horticultural Shows
Expo Applications
This one-day conference explored how the ornamental horticulture industry can prepare for a more sustainable, tech-enabled future. Split into two focused sessions, the programme brought together expert voices from across the value chain.
With the ever-increasing focus on sustainability in the horticulture industry, the first half of the Conference focused on developments and strategies in key areas of ornamentals production and the supply chain.
From EU legislation to growing media, chemical use, and sustainability certification, this session explored the practical and strategic changes that are shaping the future of our industry.
Welcome from Conference Headline Sponsor – Mr. Juan Carlos Isaza, Senior Technical Expert for Floriculture, GLOBALG.A.P. & GGN Label
Keynote: A Global Sustainability Perspective – Mr. Daan de Vries, Independent Sustainability Consultant. Former MPS executive Daan de Vries brings a wide-angle view on the sector’s sustainability challenges, global dynamics, and what’s needed for the future.
Navigating EU Sustainability Legislation – Ms. Sylvie Mamias, Secretary General, Union Fleurs. A deep dive into current and upcoming EU regulations—and what they mean for the floriculture supply chain.
Panel: The Great Growing Media Debate – Chaired by Mr. Tim Briercliffe, AIPH Secretary General. As countries diverge on approaches to peat and alternative substrates, this panel explores the future of sustainable growing media:
Sustainability in Belgian Production – Mr. Bruno Gobin, Director, Viaverda. Belgium’s leading research institute shares its priorities and how it’s helping local growers embed sustainability.
Retailer Perspective: Chemicals and Sustainability – Mr. Frank van der Heide, Director, Tuinbranche Nederland. Insights from the Netherlands’ retail sector on chemical use, public scrutiny, and future-facing strategies.
What Can We Do? Industry Action Panel
A global panel sharing real initiatives and forward-thinking approaches to industry-wide sustainability.
The second half of the Conference explored leading technological developments in horticulture and offered insights on how advancements in the sector are taking production to new levels of efficiency.
Discover how cutting-edge technologies and AI are transforming growing practices, crop management, and business strategy.
Keynote: How AI Is Changing the World – Ms. Ingrid Creten, Diensthoofd Surf Studio & Surf Studio Labs (KBC Innovation Hub). An engaging, accessible look at how AI is transforming industries—and what it means for horticulture.
Technology Trends in Greenhouse Horticulture – Ms. Mirjam Boekestijn, CEO, Dutch Greenhouse Delta. A practical overview of cutting-edge greenhouse tech from the Netherlands’ global leaders.
Production Technology for the Future – Mr. Joep Hendricks, Business Development Manager, TTA-ISO, Netherlands. A showcase of automation and AI-enhanced tech that’s reshaping propagation and production systems.
AI for Crop Management and Floriculture Innovation – Dr. Ir. Johan Van Huylenbroeck, Scientific Director, ILVO, Belgium. A look inside ILVO’s interdisciplinary R&D work on breeding, pest control and AI applications for tomorrow’s floriculture.
Delegates were taken on tours of pioneering nurseries that are shaping the future of plant production—from in-vitro propagation to amaryllis, tea, and award-winning azaleas.
Cut Flower Carnation Nursery
A fourth-generation family business, the De Nijs nursery specialises in standard carnations—currently cultivating 37 varieties across 12,000 m², with expansion plans to double that by 2026. A fascinating glimpse into tradition, innovation, and intergenerational resilience in flower farming.
Centre for Ornamental Horticulture & Green Infrastructure
Located in the heart of Belgium’s production zone, Viaverda leads applied research in ornamentals and sustainable horticulture. Their collaborative work spans trials, demonstrations, organic growing, and international knowledge sharing.
W: viaverda.be
Cash & Carry for Green Professionals
One of Belgium’s largest distributors of plants, flowers, and horticultural supplies, Fleur operates on a grand scale with 11 hectares of facilities and a 4-hectare convertible greenhouse. The Cash & Carry model makes this a dynamic hub for landscapers, florists, and retailers.
In-Vitro Propagation & Future-Focused Breeding
As a global supplier of in-vitro planting material and a 2025 AIPH International Grower of the Year Young Plant Winner, Plant Select is no ordinary young plant nursery. Specialising in Bamboo and Hydrangea, their all-in-one model—combining breeding, propagation, finished plants, and marketing at a single site—ensures consistent quality and seamless service. Innovation and sustainability are at the core of this company’s mission to deliver varieties that meet the needs of tomorrow’s growers and consumers.
Amaryllis, Berries & Belgium’s First Tea Brand
Romberama isn’t just a leader in amaryllis cultivation—it’s also a place of experimentation and pioneering spirit. Owner Raf combines sustainable amaryllis growing with one of Belgium’s last remaining berry farms and has recently made headlines as Flanders’ first tea grower, launching his own brand, Be-Tea. The visit offers a rare view into diversification, local production, and entrepreneurial innovation.
Award-Winning Sustainability in Floriculture
Spanning 28 hectares of land and glass, Leybaert grows over 3.5 million ornamental plants annually—including Azalea indica, Rhododendron, Agapanthus, Vaccinium, and more. This family-run nursery has earned global recognition for its sustainable production practices, and its reputation stretches well beyond Belgium’s borders. Leybaert is proof that Flemish horticultural craftsmanship can thrive on the international stage.
A family-owned company with a remarkable heritage.
Now under the management of the 5th generation, Dirk Mermans has expanded from its humble beginnings during WWII to a Belgian leader in houseplant production. Process automation is the cornerstone of their operational excellence. From irrigation to climate control, they harness automation to optimise conditions, resulting in consistent, top-quality yields.
Daan de Vries
A sustainability consultant, Daan de Vries has worked for more than 20 years on sustainable chains in the agriculture, food and timber industries. From 2020 to 2025, he served as the CEO of MPS, seeing the company through to its 30th anniversary. Daan de Vries studied mechanical engineering at Delft University of Technology, and obtained his MBA at INSEAD in 2002.
Sylvie Mamias
Sylvie Mamias has served as Secretary General of Union Fleurs, the International Flower Trade Association, since 2011. Based in Brussels, she oversees the organisation’s activities and represents its global network of members—national associations and companies active in the trade of cut flowers, foliage, and pot plants—in EU and international policy forums. With over 20 years’ expertise in international trade, agri-trade law, SPS issues, and supply chain regulation, she is a leading voice in the floriculture sector. Sylvie was elected to the Board of Directors of the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI) in 2025.
A French national, Sylvie is a graduate of the Institut d’Études Politiques (Sciences Po) in Paris, where she studied law, economics, and international relations. She also holds a Master’s in European Studies from the University of Birmingham (UK), and postgraduate certificates in European Law (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität, Germany) and Agriculture, Development & International Trade (World Trade Institute, Switzerland).
Bruno Gobin
Bruno Gobin is director of Viaverda, a living lab dedicated to innovation and sustainability in horticulture, agriculture as well as private and public green management. Viaverda is the recent (2024) merger of three applied plant research centres: PCS Ornamental Plant Research at Destelbergen, Belgium, PCG Vegetable Research and PCA Potato Research, both at Kruishoutem (Belgium).
Bruno Gobin holds a Ph.D. in Science (1997) and a M.Sc. in Biology-ecology (1993) from the Catholic University of Leuven. He worked in entomological research as a JSPS research fellow at Kagawa University (Japan), as an EU-TMR post-doc at the universities of Würzburg and Erlangen-Nürnberg (Germany), and as a FWO-research fellow at the Laboratory of Entomology, Leuven University, Belgium.
Frank van der Heide
Frank van der Heide is the Director of Tuinbranche Nederland, which represents approximately six hundred garden centres and more than one hundred suppliers in the garden sector. Together they inspire consumers about greenery and (garden) trends, they make connections in the sector and they strive for a sustainable and green society with living and green gardens.
Ingrid Creten
Ingrid Creten has over two decades of experience in the fields of training, account management, and digital transformation. Currently serving as Departement Head of Surf Studio & Surf Studio Labs at KBC Bank & Verzekering since February 2011, Ingrid also holds roles in Change & Communication for Digital Transformation and previously as Account Manager for Learning and Development. Prior to this, Ingrid worked at Syntra Antwerpen en Vlaams Brabant as an account manager, and held similar positions at Systemat Training and Randstad Training. Ingrid Creten holds a Master’s degree in History from KU Leuven, completed in 1997.
Mirjam Boekestijn
Mirjam Boekestijn is the CEO of AIPH Affiliate Member Dutch Greenhouse Delta. She originates from a horticultural family and has over 10 years experience in the horticulture sector. Dutch Greenhouse Delta brings together some of the Netherlands’ most innovative horticultural companies, forming a united front to share technology, expertise, and systems thinking with growers worldwide. With sustainability and food security at the forefront of DGD’s mind, it is dedicated to helping regions develop resilient, locally adapted horticultural ecosystems.
Dr. Ir. Johan Van Huylenbroeck
Dr. Ir. Johan Van Huylenbroeck, started his career in 1989 at the laboratory of Horticulture at Ghent University. Till 1997 he was research assistant at Ghent University and during that period he also obtained his PhD. During his stay at the University he conducted research on plant physiology and tissue culture. In 1997 he became senior researcher at the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research. He was responsible for the breeding programs and breeding research in ornamental plants. Since 2006 he is scientific director at the Plant Sciences Unit of ILVO. He carried out several research projects financed by the Flemish government and the European Union, a lot of projects are also in collaboration with private companies and the breeding business. Today he is member of the Management Team of the Plant Sciences Unit.
Johan Van Huylenbroeck is (co)-author of more than 80 A1 papers, + 50 conference proceedings papers and 10 chapters in books. He is editor of the book “Ornamental Crops. Handbook of Plant Breeding (2018)”. He was convener of 3 international symposia and as invited speaker at several international congresses. He is head of the EUCARPIA section ornamentals and Belgian Council representative within ISHS.
Tim Briercliffe (Chair)
Tim Briercliffe is the Secretary General of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH), a position he has held since 2013. Tim spearheads the association’s many initiatives, including Green City, Expos, the Intelligence Centre, and more.
Tim has extensive experience in the horticulture industry, having previously worked as Director of Business Development at the Horticultural Trades Association in the UK. He also has a horticulture degree from Reading University and has worked on nurseries in the UK and Canada. In 2024, he was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal by the Royal Horticultural Society for having made ‘an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the science and practice of horticulture’.
Cecilia Luetgebrune
Cecilia Luetgebrune has served as Secretary General of Growing Media Europe since its founding in 2016, overseeing the coordination and management of all association activities. With a strong track record in political advocacy at both national and EU levels, she brings extensive expertise in building relationships with policymakers and key industry stakeholders.
Since 2010, Cecilia has worked in public affairs across agriculture, hunting, and wildlife conservation sectors in both Berlin and Brussels. Her professional experience is grounded in a solid academic foundation: she holds a Master’s degree in Agricultural Science from the Humboldt University of Berlin.
Jennifer Pheasey
Jennifer Pheasey has 20 years’ experience working in policy and government affairs roles in leading membership organisations. Jennifer is currently Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), where her role involves working with government to champion the interest of the HTA’s members, developing HTA policy and managing PR and media relations. HTA members include horticultural growers, garden retailers, suppliers and landscapers.
Jennifer is a regular speaker, panellist and media spokesperson, is experienced in a breadth of policy areas and issues, including environmental and regulatory issues, supply-chain challenges, green spaces, trade policy, and is driven by her engagement with colleagues across industry and promoting the sector’s critical role in the UK economy. Jennifer is committed to working with sister associations and partner organisations in the UK and internationally. This includes the Environmental Horticulture Group and chairing its Commercial Working Group. She also sits on the Executive Committee of the Industry and Parliament Trust.
Julia Ostrowski
Julia Ostrowski is a Senior Sustainability Consultant at Meo Carbon Solutions, specializing in carbon accounting, climate strategy development and sustainability certification. With over seven years of experience, she supports companies and institutions in measuring, managing, and reducing their carbon footprints and successfully analysing and certifying their sustainable international supply chains. Since 2021 she ha staken over the development and management of HORTICERT – The certification system for sustainable peat substitutes and growing media. Understanding the ecological, social and economical impact of growing media production together with industry stakeholders is at the core of her business. She has a background in business administration and sustainable management and is located in Cologne, Germany.
Stefanie Miltenburg
Stefanie Miltenburg is Head of Public Affairs at Royal FloraHolland and Secretary General of the Association of Dutch Flower Auctions.
Born and raised in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands, she grew up working on flower nurseries and at the auction. She later studied Food Science at Wageningen University and began her career in the public sector before joining major corporations, including Jacobs Douwe Egberts, where she led sustainability initiatives.
In 2016, Stefanie transitioned into the horticulture sector, initially focusing on sustainability at Royal FloraHolland. She played a key role in further improving the sustainability of the horticulture value chain, including traceability and certification.
As Public Affairs lead, her responsibilities expanded beyond sustainability to encompass stakeholder engagement, policy advocacy and sector-wide partnerships. She also represents Royal FloraHolland in board positions within the different Greenports in the Netherlands, facilitating collaboration among horticultural stakeholders.
Juan Carlos Isaza
Formed as a microbiologist, with a masters in environmental management, has dedicated his work to work in voluntary sustainability standards in agriculture. First he led the development and was the director of Florverde in Colombia for 12 years. Initially designed as a continuous social and environmental improvement program and later transformed into a third party certification scheme. Then, in Germany, at Fairtrade International was responsible for the content revision of the environmental standard making it applicable to conventional agriculture. At 4C or Common Code for Coffee Communities was responsible to lead the revision of the 4C Code, an entry level standard aimed to include all coffee producers globally. As a consultant to FSI supported the development of the reference for the Environmental basket. Since 2019 works at Agraya GmbH as senior technical expert responsible for the revision and development of GLOBALG.A.P. standards for flowers and ornamental. Latest developments include the IDA, a standard based in environmental metrics, part of the FSI environmental basket, the SR or social responsibility standard aimed at FSI social basket for so called high risk countries, FloriCompact a standard for seasonal growers and small holders in the global north.
Jeroen Oudheusden
Jeroen Oudheusden is the Executive Officer for the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI). FSI is an independent non-profit that brings together members of the international floriculture industry. The group promotes transparency, responsible production and trade, positive impact, and improvement in its members, who are from every link of the global floriculture supply chain.
Founded in 1990 and first published by Ball Publishing, FloraCulture International is the horticulture industry’s leading B2B digital publication with a global readership of over 125,000 readers through our network of partner associations and organisations. It serves producers of cut flowers, flowering and green potted plants, bedding plants, perennials, trees, shrubs, seeds, young plants and bulbs.
Sierteelt & Groenvoorziening (S&G) is the members’ magazine of AVBS. It is published monthly and offers a wide range of specialised ornamental horticulture information, covering topics such as advocacy, legislation, crop protection, cultivation techniques, and tax law. S&G also provides professional information for landscape contractors. All ornamental horticulture-related research institutions in Flanders publish in the magazine. In this way, S&G meets the strong demand for industry-specific information for professional ornamental growers and green space managers, making it the leading ornamental horticulture trade magazine on the market today.
W: www.avbs.be
Every day, FloralDaily publishes the latest news and company information about the global floriculture industry. We share our content on our website and daily newsletter.
Guiaverde is a specialist media for the horticultural sector in Spain and Portugal. Professional Web Portal and Printed Directory about Companies, Products and Services from the Horticulture, Gardening and Associated Markets.
Thursd is your online floral meetup spot where international professionals in floriculture connect and expand the online conversation.
AVBS, the floriculture and green federation within Boerenbond, is building a vibrant, sustainable Flemish floriculture and green sector. This sustainability is reflected in four areas: ecological, economic, social and societal. AVBS does this through its work with the professional groups floristry, cut floristry, tree nursery and green space providers.
AVBS is AIPH’s Member in Belgium.
W: avbs.be
Biblo Event has been planning innovative, creative and perfect events with enthusiasm since 2013.
With our experienced and competent team, we carry out the solid works of big days with confidence.
GLOBALG.A.P. is a brand of smart farm assurance solutions developed by Agraya GmbH in Cologne, Germany, with cooperation from producers, retailers, and other stakeholders from across the food industry. These solutions include a range of standards for safe, socially and environmentally responsible farming practices. The most widely used GLOBALG.A.P. standard is Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA), applicable for fruit and vegetables, aquaculture, floriculture, livestock, and more. This standard also forms the basis for the GGN label: The consumer label for certified, responsible farming and transparency.
The GLOBALG.A.P. brand began its journey as EUREPGAP in 1997. Two decades later, over 200,000 producers are under GLOBALG.A.P. certification in 134 countries. Nearly 150 team members around the world are dedicated to the mission of spreading responsible farming practices to ensure safe food for future generations.
About the GGN Label
The GGN label is the consumer label from GLOBALG.A.P. c/o Agraya GmbH. It stands for certified, responsible farming and transparency.
Found on both packed and loose products, the GGN label exists to offer consumers consistent, relevant assurance and orientation throughout the store. It does so by confirming that the products were farmed in line with certified, responsible farming practices that cover food safety, environmental protection, animal welfare, social responsibility, and supply chain transparency.
TTA-ISO stands for smart automation in plant production. Born from the collaboration between TTA and ISO Group—two companies with a strong reputation in horticultural automation—we bring together decades of knowledge, experience, and innovation.
Our mission is simple: to support growers by delivering reliable, high-tech solutions that improve efficiency, reduce labour challenges, and enhance plant quality. From tissue culture to transplanting, from sorting to robotics, our machines are built to perform—day in, day out.
With a strong focus on customer relationships, global service, and continuous development, we’re not just a machine supplier—we’re a long-term partner in growth. By combining forces, TTA-ISO is ready to lead the way in a rapidly changing horticultural world.
We Lodge is a Swiss-based company with 16 years of expertise in the events industry. They specialise in providing tailor-made accommodation solutions for major events worldwide.
At Living Hospitality Global, we believe that every event—whether an intimate dinner or a grand international spectacle—deserves the same unwavering dedication to refinement, precision, and grace. We hold ourselves to a regal standard of service, where every detail is thoughtfully considered, every dish a celebration of craftsmanship, and every guest made to feel like the most honoured guest of the evening. This is the LHG promise: dining elevated to an unforgettable experience of elegance and warmth.
HORTICERT is an international certification system that verifies the sustainability of peat alternatives used in growing media. Developed by Meo Carbon Solutions GmbH and commissioned by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), it responds to growing concerns over the environmental impact of peat extraction. Peatlands store vast amounts of carbon, and their degradation contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. HORTICERT promotes traceable, low-impact alternatives like coir, bark humus, and compost.
Based on seven core sustainability principles, HORTICERT ensures compliance through independent audits and digital traceability (via HORTI-TRACE), alongside standardised cradle-to-grave GHG calculations. The system supports supply chain transparency, aligns with EU regulations, and provides a clear certification label for market use. Especially relevant for professional growers and brand owners, HORTICERT certification helps demonstrate environmental and social responsibility, while giving confidence to customers and regulators alike.
The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) promotes and develops the business tourism sector in Thailand. Currently, they are supporting two AIPH-approved Horticultural Expos – Expo 2026 Udon Thani and Expo 2029 Korat.
Viaverda is a practical centre for agriculture and horticulture in East Flanders, specialising in potato cultivation, vegetable cultivation, ornamental horticulture and landscaping.
W: viaverda.be
VLAM is a unique collaboration between the Flemish government and the business community. A team of approximately 75 employees works daily to make their products shine, both at home and abroad.
W: vlam.be
CIOPORA is the International Association of Breeders of Asexually Reproduced Horticultural Varieties.
Breeders of such varieties account for two-thirds of all Plant Variety Right (PVR) titles in the world. For more than 50 years, CIOPORA has been representing these breeders in all matters of Intellectual Property (IP) Protection, aiming to foster an environment in which the innovation of these breeders can flourish. The main priority of CIOPORA is the constant development and enhancement of systems of Intellectual Property Protection for plant innovation. CIOPORA enjoys the observer status at the Administrative Council of CPVO and the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV). CIOPORA unites breeders of all asexually reproduced horticultural plants with a broad portfolio of species and varieties on the market. CIOPORA is a member-based, non-profit organisation with currently 125 members from over 20 countries on five continents.
Dutch Greenhouse Delta is a powerful international platform representing the entire ecosystem of horticultural expertise and greenhouse technology from the Netherlands.
We serve as the gateway to Dutch horticultural innovation, collaborating closely with our partners to create sustainable ecosystems that address the global demand for fresh, high-quality products.
