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26 www.HortiWorld.FlowerTECH2009, vol. 12/no. 3

Agriturism is not new but

it is an expanding formof tourism practiced in

rural areas, mostly by family

farms that can continue with

the original agricultural enter-

prise while opening their doors

to visitors. Customers, usually

city people, benefit from a day

in the field, while learning

something about how their

food or flowers are grown.

Successful agriturism exam-ples are usually either close to

urban centres or at pre-estab-

lished touristic routes that trav-

ellers normally visit, like wine-

and cheese-producing areas for

example.

Flower growers can gain extra

customers with direct sales,

more importantly they have the

opportunity to start a new ven-

ture within their existing busi-

ness. Today some growers

worldwide find themselves in

situations of encroaching cities,

escalating land prices, labour

shortage and heirs without

interest in growing/farming as

a lifestyle, however the possi-

bilities for new business for-

mats are endless. It allows

newer generations to pursue

studies such as hostelling or

business administration with-

out having to leave their family

businesses or roots.Since agriturism banks on

highly variable local aspects

such as the strengths that each

region can offer, the publics

interest, local consumer habits,

existing crops and so on, these

have to be carefully understood

before attempting to start in

this field. The good news is

that the rapid urbanisation that

the world has been going

through since the last century

has created literally billions

more city people, potential cus-

tomers.

In the case of Brazil specifical-

ly, the demographic change has

been dramatic, a nation whose

population was 70% in the

countryside in the 1950s is

now 70% in urban centres. On

one hand that has created

infrastructure problems in cit-

ies, on another it also generat-

ed a more subtle collective

longing feeling in middle-class

folks of where country lifestyle

brings emotional memories of

simpler days. A direct conse-quence of this unprecedented

demographic shift is that a

good percentage of adults in

cities today were either born in

the country themselves or their

parents were.

Increasing profitabilityRancho Paran is one example

of how several possibilities can

be explored in this segment.

Rancho Paran is a tropical

flower producer that saw the

chance of opening the produc

tion fields to tourists as a way

to solve several issues.

Diversification allowed the

whole family to continue wor

ing and living together, and in

the country; also bringing

increased profitability without

more land.

The 14.5 ha ranch owners

and managers, the family of

Mr. Carvalho, or Chico

Paran, as he is known,

became flower growers after

decades as vegetable growers

and even dairy farmers.Throughout the years they we

on the lookout for added-valu

products, and considered

industrialising their products,

but the difficulty to obtain

licenses was too great.

In 1992 they received a hand

ful of tuberoses bulbs

(Polianthes tuberose) as a gift,

and within four years they had

managed to multiply them to

Agricultural tourism, or agriturism, has

increased as a viable option for flower growers

and others willing to diversify. It can be a

winning combination for customers and growers

when all key ingredients are at hand for the

formula to work.

By Mauricio Mathias

Agriturism as an added-valu

The Agriturism farm made it possible that Mrcia

Carvalho, the daughter of the owner, could continue

to work at the farm and live together with her family.

Mrcia is a partner of the company, marketing direc-

tor and runs the flower sales.

Also for schools the farm is an interesting place to visit with a combination of fun

and education.

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FlowerTECH2009, vol. 12/no. 3 2www.HortiWorld.nl

thousands. The ranch, located

in the Federal District, only 40

km away from the national

capital, Braslia (population 2.6

million) became an important

local flower supplier and grad-

ually switched from the previ-

ous activities to flower produc-

tion. Later on they added tropi-

cal flowers and foliage, and

both thrived.

In 1995, the family embraced

agriturism as a business oppor-

tunity to reach final consumers

without middlemen, opening

the flower fields to visitors.

Soon after they noticed that

there was room for other serv-ices that could cater to a wider

audience than just plant lovers.

Thus the irrigation pond

became a fishing lake populat-

ed with sport fish, and they

opened a country-style restau-

rant. Now counting nearly 80

types of tropical flowers such as

heliconias, zingibers and

alpinias plus some native trees

and foliage, the ranch became

an all-around option for a fam-

ily outing.

Decorating social eventsFar from leaving the flowers to

the background, their wide

assortment is sold at the spot

they own at Central Flores, the

Braslia flower market. They

also provide tropical flowers to

decorate social events, especial-

ly at the capitals many embas-

sies. This is one example of the

possibilities that has risen from

knowing your public, a skill

that some growers, being most-

ly plant-oriented people have to

develop. Although each case isspecific and cannot be general-

ised, it is up to entrepreneurs to

find their local opportunities.

As the nations capital,

Braslia receives a great influx

of foreign visitors, both on

business and vacation, making

it a natural centre for social

gatherings. To decorate these

events, the renowned national

flora lends an extra appeal to

give the ambience a

Brazilian accent.Tropical flowers

here are the right

products to the right

public. To top it off,

tropical flowers

shelf-life outlive

temperate flowers

by far under the

local weather; the

Total Eclipse helico-

nia variety for exam-

ple can last up to 20

days in a vase.

Not an easy taskMrcia de Carvalho,

who manages the

ranchs flower sales

is satisfied with the

present state of

things but warns that the

switch is not an easy task, and

that a whole new set of skills

are necessary. By adding

another business to your exist-

ing activity you have to keep an

eye on things such as market-

ing, economics, customer satis-

faction, among others. Plus, in

our case there werent many

experienced people to teach us

when we started. In the end

things turned out well, as

Rancho Paran was awarded an

Entrepreneurial Prize in the

Agribusiness category for its

achievements in 2006.

Agriturism holds a good per-spective when the circumstanc-

es are right but today only few

extension services can advise

on it. However, it is necessary

that growers seek training and

information so they can recog-

nise niche opportunities. The

latest activities the ranch has

included are floral arrangement

classes using tropical flowers,

given by known designers; and

the development of a type of

paper made of plant fibres, a

solution to recycle the cut off

long plant stalks. The project is

developed in partnership with

a local university. Now that

Brazil has been chosen as host

of the 2014 soccer world cup,

and Braslia runs as a candidate

for some of the games, more

possibilities can be ahead. n

option for growers

Pick own fruit in the USIn the United States, U-pick farms,

where the public pays to pick their own

fruit, and dude ranches cattle farms

that employ city people, have been

popular since the 70s and 80s as forms

of agriturism. State agencies can helpfarmers obtain information. The

University of California Small Farm

Centre lists at www.calagtour.org a

wealth of information on the topic. In

the western part of North Carolina,

www.homemadeinamerica.com there is

promotion of agriturism to develop

their local economy, craft trades, and

educate their visitors on current agricul-

ture practices.

The irrigation pond became a fishing lake populated with sport fish.

The farm can offer a wide range of tropical flowers.