Tropical Flowers in Brazil

8/9/2019 Tropical Flowers in Brazil

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Brazils gems jumpingCountry file

Even though one cannot speak of

an established chain of tropical

flowers in Brazil yet, something

new has definitely been started.

The new growers achievements are not

small: job creation, growing exports, turn-

ing existing plants into a new business,

change of the consumer profile with more

men buying flowers. And above all: popu-

larisation of flower consumption the

greatest challenge of the Brazilian flower

sector, plagued with low per capita sales.

This could only be the beginning, tropical

flower consultant Alonso Lamas stresses,

who has written books on the subject. In

a country with nearly 200 native

Heliconias (out of 400 existing), the same

dozen species dominate the market, so

further diversification is a must.

The sector has made its first steps and is

becoming more professional; their level of

co-operation is something refreshing to

see among Brazilian growers. This concert-

ed action towards the market gives hope

to a true sector development, instead of

the survival of only a few big companies.

Both the states of Alagoas and

Pernambuco are dreaming of a main

regional flower market in the northeast,

something not to be ruled out considering

the current pace of development.

AlagoasAlagoas may be one of Brazils smallest

states, but it is one of the countrys largest

tropical flower producers with an estimat-

ed 186 ha. While sugar cane has been a

monoculture in its cropland for centuries,

providing mainly seasonal jobs, tropical

flowers are a business option and a tenta-

tive source of year round employment.

Curiously, growing flowers in Alagoas

has been an occupation almost exclusive

for women. Their common interest starte

in 1997 when a group of ladies met at a

floral arranging course at Sebrae (a semi-

government advisory agency supporting

small businesses). At the end of this

course, half of the class had decided to

grow tropical flowers instead. Afloral, a

growers association was funded with 40

members and it still remains the sectors

umbrella organisation. Since then the

number of growers has decreased, but

acreage has increased. Sebraes manager

explains: We found out that Alagoas was

perfectly suited for these crops, it just did

nt have a growing tradition.

Local growerEmlia Flores Tropicais has the biggest

hectarage, 4 ha at one location, and 22 ha

at a location 130 km away. The smaller

plot is at the family country house, which

has since been surrounded by city sprawl

Taking advantage of this a packing shed

and wholesale store have been added,

where she sells mostly to decorators from

the city, who have discovered Etlingera

and other plants exotic appeal. It began

as a hobby, then we sold some excess

Associated growers in the Brazi lian

northeastern coastal area have taken

the lead in tropical f lower cult ivation

in their country. N ow that European

countries are their main customers,

history has gone ful l circle with requests

from those who have acqui red a taste

for the exotic. Flower Tech went

tropical and paid a visit to the states ofAlagoas and Pernambuco.

By Mauricio C. Mathias

Flowers are only sent to Comfl ora once requests have come in , and then the product i s re-checked and boxed.


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Country file

plants and it became serious when I start-

ed supplying a flower shop, says owner

Emla Paiva.

First, I went to Cear to see the rose

greenhouses, where I saw professional sys-

tems. The first thing I did when I returned

was to install an irrigation system.

Following a group visit to Costa Rica in

2002, where we saw the potential for large

scale production, we expanded to the new

site.

More experienced since their first export

experience in 1998 to the UK, they invest-

ed in diversification with 25 flower types,

automated drip irrigation and a new pack-

house. Now we have clients in Portugal,

Canada and the US, she adds. Another

lesson from Costa Rica: 10 ha in this newplot holds 47 types of foliage (like

Cordyline and palm leaves) instead of

exclusively flowers. Both flowers and

leaves are used in bouquets; the fastest-

growing segment among operations of all

sizes, add value to the plants. It requires

plant variety and packing space though. In

a typical shed, bouquets are prepared in

assembly-line fashion after a series of

hydrating baths with anti-fungi and bacte-

ria solutions, after flowers are cleaned,

trimmed and checked for insects. Non-

standard plants can still be used in

arrangements, since each one is unique,

requiring stems of different lengths.

Following Sebraes advice, exporting has

been the target of most growers right from

the start. It only diminishes during

European summers, when due to the vaca-

tion period, people normally buy less

flowers. And, since its the EU peak pro-

duction, the import of flowers are taxed

an additional 25%. Another challenge, to

conquer new markets, is gaining knowl-

edge about handling this new product.

The cold chain, so necessary to the post

harvest of temperate flowers is a problem

for tropical flowers, which spoil near

freezing temperatures.

Private companyFlora Atlntica, although not a coop, is a

private company that unites production of

11 independent growers of the coastalregion 10 of them, women. Their own

store in Macei sells 50% of their flowers,

such as cut bromeliads. They export 30%,

and the remainder goes to So Paulo or

Rio de Janeiro. Interestingly, Musas and

Calatheas are attractive novelties in these

main urban centres as much as they are

overseas a few times customers have

touched the flowers to check if they are

not plastic.

Running the store are growers Regina

Barros and Cleide Fontes, who tell that

their clientele has been growing 50% year-

ly and local sales increase from Thursday

to Saturday, when people prepare their

homes with flowers for the weekend. Their

first export was to the Netherlands, but

out of a niche market

Tropical flowersNative tropical cut flowers, such as Heliconias and Alpinias, are still non-traditional crops in

Brazil. Familiar to many people as garden plants, they have not been grown on a commercial

scale. Roses and chrysanthemums originally not from Brazil were the flowers to be cultivated

there, as the practice was started in the late 1800s by European and Japanese immigrants. Thesehave been the traditional flowers to Brazilian consumers, so far.

The tropical flower is a new, exotic product to local and foreign buyers. It can last 20 to 30 days

at the consumers home, and at a warmer climate. Its great diversity of shapes and colours natu-

rally lends itself to arrangements. Advantages can also be found in the field: lower initial invest-

ments, since it doesnt require greenhouses or yearly plantings; low labour and chemical input.

Plus tropical flowers are somewhat more rustic and allow eventual mistakes at the start-up, and

dont demand as much cold for transportation.

Disadvantages: irrigation is a must if there is not enough rain; advisors are harder to find; there

is the need of education along the whole chain about new products; longer time to start produc-

ing; unfavourable price/weight ratio to compete for cargo space with temperate flowers.

Post harvest: some fl owers are kept in hydrat ing baths at pH 4 dur ing 2 hours.


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Portugal has been their most frequent

buyer for the last four years. They agree

that exporting is more profitable, but it is

also much more complicated; each buyer

has specific demands, and there is the

paperwork and red tape to deal with.

Maria Oiticica, one of the directors at

Comflora, voices the same opinion.

Exporting has been a learning curve. The

over three year-old coop has 21 members

(again, only one man), and exports every

two weeks, predominantly to Portugal and

France.

Exporting has been a good way to avoid

reducing local prices, since we were all after

the same customers. Standardisation of

flowers and packaging among all members

has also been beneficial to the market.

Flowers are only sent to Comflora once

requests have come in, and then the prod-

uct is re-checked and boxed. Grower groups

take turns at supplying the coop if there is

not enough demand, or can also sell else-

where. Bigger growers help out smaller

ones to fill requests at busier times when

more variety or volume is needed. Both

Comflora and Flora Atlntica growers have

their own field agronomist for assistance

with pests and diseases, a demand from th

Ministry of Agriculture for exporting opera

tions.

[email protected]

This neighbouring state to Alagoas is a pio-

neer at commercial cultivation of tropical

flowers. In fact, many growers from Alagoasstarted out with seedlings from Pernambuco.

Besides a healthy competition they keep a

good relationship, a joint commission for

example has worked on product standardisa-

tion. After some foreign buyers started play-

ing one state against the other in price dis-

putes, they are discussing minimum prices.

One leading export company, Helicnia,

has been in the market for eight years, and is

owned by grower, Juarez Souza. It sells his

and other growers products since requests

have become too large. Italy, Germany and

France are main buyers, and the US andArgentina are new tentative markets. Besides

being a producer, Souza is also presiding

over the state floriculture commission this

year, which unites 10 tropical and temperate

flower associations. He explains, Most of

Pernambucos 150 ha of tropical plants are

situated in a 100 km radius from its capital,

Recife. With this acreage, some fields are hav-

ing to replace the most common varieties,

which have decreased in price. Production

driven by the market, Brazilian and overseas,

is a must now for those who want to contin-

ue expanding. In the future we will also need

a sales representative near our buyers.

Maria C. Teixeira, owner of Mumbecas

Flores is a good example of this sectors phe-

nomenon: plant lover turned business-

woman. After enrolling herself at a floricul-

ture congress in 1994, she started trading

plants with collectors and put the family land

to use. After one year the local market was

won by providing workshops to decorators

and supplying arrangements to city restau-

rants. A case of word of mouth success, her

first export happened when a Brazilian deco-

rator needed tropical flowers for a project inFrance. The broker hired at the time became

her regular distributor. The farm slowly grew

to its present 6 ha and an 80-item product

list. In its fields, the difference between the

initial and the newer plots is visible, as she

points out herself. We went to a more

rational use of space, grouping plants of simi-

lar needs together. We had to learn which

varieties liked more shade, or less water and

so on. The newest addition is a shade house

with screens of different colours for foliage.

Sebrae came into the picture in

Pernambuco in 1998, when it pointed outthe commercial potential of tropical flowers.

It has helped enterprises with business and

management issues since then. Growers

themselves are quick to explain that the sec-

tors history is divided into a before and after

Sebraes support. It has organised visits to

countries like Venezuela, more experienced at

cultivating tropical flowers. Local universities

have joined in as well, by sending students to

growers for practical periods.

Exporting consortiumAnother cooperation example is Tropical

Brazil, an exporting consortium uniting six

like-minded growers, such as Paulo Leo and

Marcina Pontual. Both farm owners have tra-

ditionally rented out land to sugar mills but

they sought alternatives for their respective

farms. Paulo believes that the initial phase of

fast increase in the number of growers is now

over. The $13,000/ha to establish a field,

and the long months it takes to start produc-

ing are difficult. He explains that having

another source of income has helped to start

up, and since he is expanding his flower

acreage he seems to believe in its future.

Pernambuco so far has the lead in logistics

with frequent TAP flights to Lisbon. Macei,

in Alagoas state, is only a 20-minute flight

away but since government export offices are

statewide only, out-of-state products are

required a new set of licenses and inspec-

tions, meaning more waiting time. And since

there are not enough flights from Macei,

the alternative route is south to the main

hub of So Paulo, and then north to Europe.

A new airport in Macei, expected to be

opened shortly, may change that.

Competition via Alagoas neighbour Pernambuco

The right vari ety should match its application.

Heli conia wit h large flowers may not have a

competi ti ve price/weight rati o for exports.

Documents

Tropical Flowers in Brazil