What is the reason for the high price of flowers?

There are many reasons for the high prices of flowers, moreover that roses are delicate and require great care, as well as that they are perishable, not easy to grow, and often travel long distances from the field to reach the florist. And as the holiday season approaches, such as Mother's Day on May 12 in nearly 100 countries, people complain about the high prices of bouquets. But this high price is due to the unstable nature of the flower market, the time and money farmers spend on delivering flowers before the holiday season, and the pressures florists face to meet the demand for flowers, so as not to lose their customers. Peak of dangers Florists and growers face many challenges, such as high labor wages and financial risks to meet the demand for flowers at the peak of the demand season. The reason for this may be the demand of many countries to import flowers. The volume of global flower exports, according to research conducted by the United Nations' Comtrade International Trade Database, was $ 8.48 billion in 2017, a 46 percent increase over 1995. The Netherlands tops the list of flower exporters, followed by Colombia, Ecuador, Kenya and Ethiopia. In 2018, Ecuador and Colombia contributed the largest share of rose and carnation exports, while Thailand was the top orchid exporter and Colombia dominated the tulip and chrysanthemum market. The main flower importers are the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Russia. Amy Stewart, author of The Secrets of the Flower Industry, which reveals the behind the scenes of the flower trade, says: “Transporting these flowers from one continent to another is very expensive, because they are perishable and must be stored in refrigerated containers during the shipment. This process is very risky and it isn't Especially since florists can order ten thousand tulips in the hope of selling them on one occasion a year, such as Mother's Day. If the entire quantity is not sold, the surplus will wither and become worthless. The consumer pays the price for this risk. " Labor wages rise Meeting the demand during the peak season requires great skill and precision, as the farmer has to take care of these flowers so that they do not become infected with pests or fungi and can infect the entire crop. Jenny McEwan, who has grown flowers for 13 years in Illinois and Wisconsin, describes insect damage as the biggest challenge. The farmer must adjust the flowering dates to coincide with the holiday season. In order for the tulips to be ready to ship on Mother's Day, they need to be planted in January or February until they bloom in early May. Statistics from the United States Department of Agriculture in 2012 indicated that salaries of salaried and contract work accounted for 10% of total operating expenses in the agricultural sector in the United States and accounted for 40% of operating expenses in greenhouses, kindergartens. nursery and floriculture sectors, due to the lack of qualified farmers in these areas and their high wages. McEwan says he hires extra workers in the peak season, but adds that "flower picking requires experience and no part-time worker can do it." Chris Drummond, a Philadelphia florist, says workers average $ 13.25 an hour in the United States and that farm owners can pay higher wages to meet seasonal demand. Stewart says the use of advanced greenhouses equipped with automated systems for watering plants or robots to plant and harvest seeds in developed countries reduces the need for workers. But poor countries with lower wages do not use these advanced systems. Then comes the role of shipping, as the dealer expects to receive these flowers free from defects, i.e. they have not been touched by an insect, nor a leaf fallen from them, nor are there any withered buds between them, so that they are not destined to be thrown away.