Mexico’s OPF show moves to biennial event

MEXICO DF, Mexico: Mexico’s horticultural trade show will be held every two years, with the next one being held in the autumn of 2023. OPF chairman  Enrique Arias Velazco told FCI that Mexico’s principal plants and flowers organisations will host field days in even-numbered years.

Mexico is the second-largest economy in Latin America. The country has a population of nearly 130 million, many of which love flowers. The Mexican society has deep roots in floral tradition, which explains why the nation boasts a sizeable home production of young plants, cut flowers, houseplants, annuals, perennials and nursery stock products.

Enrique Arias Velazco,  President of Ornamental Plants & Flowers (OPF), the nation’s premier horticultural trade show, which debuted in September 2019, leaves no doubt the country’s horticultural industry deserves an international horticultural trade show.

He says Mexico is a horticultural powerhouse, with world-class, high-quality flowers and plants, a benign climate, good soils, and counter-seasonal supply opportunities. Plus, the direct vicinity of large consumer markets in the USA and Canada makes Mexico ideal for the horticultural industry.

Still, ornamental horticulture in Mexico remains a very fragmented industry hosting many smallholder flower farms spanning not more than one hectare. Each of the country’s flower and plant-producing areas has its own needs, but as a rule of thumb, one can say that logistics, education and defining a commercial portfolio continue to pose major challenges.

Which is why in even-numbered years, OPF has decided to adress this challenges during field days and networking events in the epicentres of flower and plant production: Xochimilco, CDMX, Cuautla and Cuernavaca, Cuautla and Cuernavaca, Morelos, Villa Guerrero and Atlacomulco, Edo. Mex., Atlixco, and Puebla.

OPF will hold its international horticultural trade show every odd-numbered year, with the next one being held between 12-14 September 2023 at the Citibanamex Convention Centre in Mexico City.

It is not only the trade show that OPF Mexico uses to connect their audience of producers with the global supply chain. They also have a digital platform, B2B Conecta, which gives an immediate connection for all participants. This 24/7 platform, says Arias Velazco, will continue.

Last year, OPF Mexico, approved by AIPH and powered by IPM Essen, promoted Mexican horticulture for three days in November, attracting 2,108 in-person attendees and nearly 1,000 online.

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