Surviving in a volatile flower market: Part 1

Carol Sutherland, a florist for almost 30 years, has seen many changes in South Africa's flower industry. For this first article of a three-part series, she spoke to Leon Pretorius, manager of Pretorius Blomme near Delmas in Mpumalanga, about how he has adapted his business to an increasingly demanding market.

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Three decades ago, trolleys stacked with flowers filled the floor of the Multiflora Flower Market in City Deep, Johannesburg. And variety was on a par with quantity. You could find delphiniums (commonly known as larkspurs) in every shade, different types of lilacs, rows of sweet Williams, all the colours of irises, anemones and ranunculuses, as well as rows of trolleys with alstroemeria in every shade.

Today, you would be lucky to see a bucket or two of alstroemeria, never mind a trolley or two. You would also struggle to find daffodils, poppies or Zantedeschia lilies. Delphiniums are available, but are becoming scarcer and more expensive.

A number of flower growers, both large and small, have disappeared over the years. New names crop up now and then, but they are likely to be gone before long. Much like home-industry shops, small florists are becoming scarcer, with the high cost of rentals pushing many out of the market.

The prices of flowers at the Multiflora Flower Market have also become unpredictable, making it difficult for florists to quote for functions. This often forces them to overquote, as the prices of certain flowers can increase up to 10 times by the day of the function.

Fifteen years ago, most varieties of flowers were available every day on the market floor, which meant that prices were less likely to fluctuate, particularly to the extremes seen today.

PRETORIUS BLOMME

Pretorius Blomme, on the outskirts of Delmas in Mpumalanga, is managed by Leon Pretorius. It produces chrysanthemum sprays for the cut-flower market, and grows chrysanthemums of every colour and variety. Its blooms are amongst of the best quality in South Africa and currently fetch the highest prices for chrysanthemums at auctions.