Fresh flowers can lighten a room and are a luxury we continued to purchase even during the global financial crisis, according to Flower Growers Group of NSW president, Robert Giansante.
Mr Giansante, Horsley Park, said the industry had been concerned about the impact of the economic downturn, but as a whole it had fared well “under the circumstances”.
“The market has been quieter and prices cheaper, but we haven’t been as badly affected as some industries,” he said.
“I think we thought we’d be hit harder than we have been.”
The industry has more than 200 commercial growers and an estimated value of more than a million dollars in NSW alone.
Mr Giansante said people saw flowers as an affordable gift option which lasted longer than a night out.
“It’s cheaper to buy flowers than go out for dinner,” he said.
While the year was better than expected, water issues continue to affect the industry.
“Water is always an issue for farmers,” Mr Giansante said.
Growers were modernising and using more water-efficient practices, he said, including looking to storing rainwater.
“We’ve gone from overhead watering to drip irrigation in the past few years,” Mr Giansante said.
“It’s accepted if you don’t make the changes you might miss the boat.”
Mr Giansante said some government assistance was available to growers, but water-saving technologies and tanks did have a financial burden.
The industry had also moved towards indoor growing conditions, with 70 per cent of the State’s flowers now grown indoors and 30pc in field.
As summer heated up, flower growers were preparing for a hot one and both indoor and field crops were likely to feel some affect, Mr Giansante said.
Growers were likely to use shadecloths to try to protect their flowers, while field crops were left largely unprotected.
He said the industry was now spread geographically, but a large number of growers were centred on the Central Coast, Nepean-Hawkesbury and Richmond areas, and this spread meant not all crops would be affected by weather events.
Looking to the future, Mr Giansante said it was positive.
He said the smaller established growers, many of which were family operations, would continue, while the bigger businesses would grow.
With this in mind the industry gathered in Sydney on the weekend to celebrate its achievements and nurture its frontline.
The 2009 Annual Flower Ball was hosted by the Flower Growers Group of NSW and attracted suppliers, growers, supporters and florists.
Mr Giansante said an important aspect of the night was the support of TAFE floristry students through the presentation of scholarships.
“We’re nurturing the future of the industry,” he said.
Together with Ace Ohlsson, Sydney Markets and the Depart-
ment of Education and Training, the Flower Growers Group offered $10,000 worth of scholarships to students about to enter their final year of floristry studies.
Mr Giansante said it was an expensive course with students required to buy their own flowers.
He said the scholarships aimed to encourage the next generation to undertake the course and enter the industry.
This year’s award recipients were Ellen Ball, Campbelltown TAFE; Kerri Perks, Ryde TAFE; Parthenie Lalas, Ultimo TAFE, and Sharon Hitchcock, Kurri Kurri TAFE.
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