Renato Papaianni dies at 75

BISIGNANO, Italy: Chrysanthemum grower Renato Papaianni died in Bisignano (Province of Cosenza), Italy on 15 April, aged 75.

Colleagues and long-time industry friends have expressed their shock and sadness at the news.

Well-loved as a friendly, discrete and self-determined personality in the world of commercial Chrysanthemum production, Papaianni and former business partner Franco Cilenti set up a chrysanthemum production in 1973, on the flat plains of Soverano in Italy’s southern region Calabria. Prior to that he had learnt the ropes at Dutch chrysanthemum grower Fides in De Lier.

Today, the Papaianni company spans 80 ha, of which 30ha of greenhouses are dedicated to chrysanthemum production while 2 ha is in use for the production of potted roses and potted plants.

Papaianni leaves behind his wife Caterina and two children, Simona and Antonio. His death   is a loss for the European chrysanthemum industry. An extensive obituary is currently in progress.