Colviveros Colombia - News and Events
Jairo Cadavid, Colviveros: "ExpoPlantas 2023 exceeded all expectations"
September 25th, 2023
Complete Article at Floral Daily
With more than 3.000 m2 full of live plants, 100 exhibitors from 7 countries and nearly 1.000 professional visitors, the fifth edition of ExpoPlantas, the Colombian Nursery Trade Show, wrapped up on Friday, September 22, 2023. The 3-day show was promoted by the Association of Colombian Nurseries, Colviveros, with the support of the Netherlands, the Colombian Minister of Agriculture and the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce. Organizers and participants were happy to assess that the trade show exceeded expectations in terms of exhibitors and participating buyers.
Jairo Cadavid, president of Colviveros, pointed out that the event, held at the Compensar facilities in Bogotá, presented the best of the Colombian nursery growers' portfolio that included a wide range of flowering plants, foliage plants, orchids, cacti, succulents, palms, and forestry, as well as inputs for the nursery chain.
The Netherlands Pavilion had the participation of companies such as ABZ Seeds, Broekhof, Evanthia, Flora Supplies Unlimited BV, Hotraco, Köen Pack, Könst-La Serena, Martin Stolze, Succulents Unlimited BV and Tropical Seeds. The LYG Agroflowers Breeders Pavilion, for its part, presented the most recent releases of Benary, Dümmen Orange, Hilverda-Florist, Morel, PanAmerican Seed, Schoneveld, Syngenta and VitroPlus. Dosatron also was part of this exhibition.
The Netherlands supports nursery growers in Colombia
August 14th, 2023
Complete Article at Floral Daily
In Colombia, the production and sale of plants such as anthuriums, bromeliads, cacti, orchids, succulents, and forest plants, among others, positively impact the lives of more than 35,000 families mainly settled in rural areas throughout the country. The Netherlands, the most important player in the field of ornamental plants, fresh flowers, and foliage, has been supporting small nursery growers in Colombia, seeking to develop all their productive and commercial potential.
In alliance with Colviveros, the Association of Colombian Nursery Growers, the Government of the Netherlands recently supported an international mission. Eighteen Colombian growers participated last June in the GreenTech fair and in visits to the main varietal houses during the "FlowerTrials 2023". "Broadening the vision around the potential of their nursery business, learning about new products and trends, and opening opportunities to meet international demand are part of the objectives of these sorts of activities," says Jairo Cadavid, president of Colviveros.
But beyond this initiative, the Netherlands will be the guest country of ExpoPlantas 2023, the Trade and Professional Nursery Convention that reaches its fifth edition and will be held in Bogotá from September 20 to 22, 2023, also with the support of the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá and the Society of Landscape Architects of Colombia, among others. In this event that will occupy 3,140 square meters of Compensar's Jubilee Square in Bogotá, about twenty Dutch companies that supply plant material and inputs for the nursery chain will join the national suppliers that will participate in this commercial and training event for small growers and marketers of live plants in the country.
The Netherlands to be host country at ExpoPlantas in Bogotá
May 3rd, 2023
Complete Article at Floral Daily
Colombia, as a flower exporter, has been among the global leaders for decades, but recently the potted plant sector has also been on the rise. Therefore, ExpoPlantas is hosting the Netherlands as an invited country in Bogotá from September 20-22, 2023. The exhibition participation is organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the Agriculture Council of the Dutch Embassy in Bogotá, in collaboration with the Holland House Colombia. With an impressive country pavilion, the Netherlands will have a prominent role among the expected 100 exhibitors.
A fast-growing sector According to Colviveros, the sector in Colombia has more than 3,000 growers and producers of live plants and ornamental plants. About 1,950 hectares are used for production concentrated mainly in the departments: Cundinamarca (65%), Antioquia (20%), and Eje Cafetero, Valle del Cauca and other regions of the country (15%). The domestic market is estimated at 35 million euros. Furthermore, exports are increasing more than 20% annually. Companies such as Bromelias de Colombia, Darwin Colombia, Plantas del Tambo and Vivero Tierra Negra are doing well in markets such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan. The Netherlands is the fifth destination in this list.
Syngenta Flowers wins Award for best plant material at Show ExpoPlantas ? Colombia
December 20th, 2022
Complete Article at Floral Daily
On the weekend of 19-21 October, the fourth edition of ExpoPlantas, the Colombian Nursery Trade Show, took place in Fusagasug?, Colombia. With 80 exhibitors from eight countries and 1,000 professional visitors, the show exceeded expectations. Syngenta's colleague Luis Corsini, Key Account Manager LATAM was present at the booth of the distributor L&G Agroflowers and looked back on a successful show.
Besides various workshops, guest speakers, and a recognition ceremony, there was also a contest held for 'Best Plant Material' on display at the show.
The judges awarded the Begonia Top Hat White with second place in the Best Outdoor Product category based on flower size, shape, garden performance, and botanical performance. Interestingly the audience of the show, mostly growers, rated the Top Hat Rose Bicolor as the best.
Besides the Begonia Top Hat, also the Cyclamen Winter Ice had a notable recommendation from the judges in the category of Best Indoor Product. Cyclamen is a very demanded product and is well-known by Colombian growers.
Colombia: ExpoPlantas 2022 surpassed expectations
October 26th, 2022
Complete Article at Floral Daily
With 3.250 square meters full of live plants, 80 exhibitors from 8 countries and almost 1.000 professional visitors concluded the fourth edition of ExpoPlantas, the Colombian Nursery Trade Show.
Fusagasugá, October 21, 2022. The fourth edition of ExpoPlantas, the Colombian Nursery Trade Show, concluded last Friday, October 21, 2022, with figures that surpassed expectations in terms of exhibitors and participating buyers in relation to the previous 2021 version.
Jairo Cadavid, president of the Association of Colombian Nurseries, Colviveros, pointed out that the event held at the Universidad de Cundinamarca in Fusagasugá, the largest producer of live plants in Colombia, brought together almost 1.000 Colombian ornamental and live plant growers and 80 exhibitors from 8 countries, who occupied 3,250 square meters in a professional tent with the best of the Colombian nursery growers' portfolio that included a wide range for flowering plants, foliage plants, orchids, cacti, succulents, palms, and forestry, as well as inputs for the nursery chain.
The Trade Show was opened by Leontine Crisson, Agricultural Attaché, Kingdom of the Netherlands; the CEO of the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, Nicolás Uribe; Carlos Daza, Governor in Charge of Cundinamarca; the Major of Fusagasugá, Jairo Hortúa; Ruth Ibarra, Colombian Minister of Agriculture representative and Jairo Cadavid, president of Colviveros, among others. Additionally, the kick-off event featured the CEO of the Mexican firm Bengoshi Coaching & Strategic Perception, Tetsuji Tamashiro.
Colombia: Colviveros getting ready for ExpoPlantas
June 22nd, 2022
Complete Article at Floral Daily
The Colombian Nursery Trade Association, with more than 650 members in 18 regions of the country, is getting ready to celebrate its 6th anniversary with the fourth edition of ExpoPlantas in October 2022.
It all started with a coffee at the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture in August 2016. A month later, with a group of 5 nursery growers, the Association of Colombian Nurseries and Ornamental Growers, Colviveros, was founded. It was introduced as an entity focused on giving a boost to the segment of live plants and ornamentals in the South American country. "We only knew that the nursery world in Colombia was made up of a huge group of rural producers with a great desire to professionalize their operation and grow," says Jairo Cadavid, president of Colviveros, whom Floral Daily interviewed to learn about the progress and projections of the trade association, and the new Colombian political context.
Why an associative organization for nurseries in Colombia?
"Basically to give an opportunity for development and better income to that group of family farmers' and other rural producers and marketers of live plants in Colombia that - today we know- is made up of more than 3,000 small businesses throughout the country. We are great promoters of rural development policies in Colombia because the benefits of the associativity work are evident in terms of representation of the sector, training activities, technical support, international missions, market development and commercial platforms such as ExpoPlantas," says Jairo.
Colombia's flower industry is very competitive, could the live plants segment reach the same level of success?
"Of course, we all know that Colombia has innate competitive advantages. With all its thermal floors and microclimates we have many opportunities for the production of live plants to meet, not only the growing demand of the domestic market, but also international marketing opportunities. The world is a great consumer of plants and this green trend has put Colombia's live plant exports numbers on the map. This segment of the agricultural sector is starting to appear in the national export statistics."
Colombia: "4,000 m2 of exhibition in Fusagasugá, the heart of live plant production"
April 25th, 2022
Complete Article at Floral Daily
According to Colviveros, Colombia has nearly 2,500 hectares of live plants production, and 75% of this production is concentrated in the department of Cundinamarca, mainly in the municipality of Fusagasugá. The municipality has a great variety of geographic and thermal floors that facilitate the production of flowering plants, foliage plants, cacti, succulents, ferns, palms, and forest species, and of course, products as highly demanded as anthuriums, bromeliads, and orchids.
Jairo Cadavid, president of Colviveros, pointed out that after the positive result achieved in the city of Pereira the previous year, the Colombian Trade Association is in the planning phase of the fourth edition of the Fair and the Professional Congress of Nurseries in Colombia, which will be held in Fusagasugá from October 19 to 21, 2022. "We are so excited to share the good news. The importance of holding the Fair and the Professional Nursery Congress in this region of Colombia is based on the fact that there are more than 800 production units of live plants, mainly ornamental", added the Colviveros representative.
The Expoplantas 2021 edition
For Colviveros, the indicators achieved to date by this new commercial platform in Colombia are satisfactory from every point of view. ExpoPlantas 2021, an event held last October, had for its third edition 584 registered participants, including professional attendees, buyers from large stores, international guests, speakers, and juries who, beyond the commercial activities of the fair, participated in the training programs, in the second Technical Contest and the visits offered by the event in the coffee region of Colombia.
From a commercial perspective, the president of Colviveros added that ExpoPlantas 2021 enabled 73 professional exhibition spaces between 6 and 80 square meters, where the best of Colombia's portfolio of live plants was presented, as well as landscaping and gardening services and supplies for the chain that occupied a total of 2,900 square meters.
ExpoPlantas 2022
For the fourth edition of the Fair and the Professional Nursery Congress, Colviveros reported that to date, there is a growing number of organizations that support the initiative, such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, the Agency of Marketing of Cundinamarca, the Mayor's Office of Fusagasugá, the Association of Nurseries of the Sumapaz Region, Asoviz, and the Colombian Green Industry Network, Recive, organizations that are part of the group of entities that are betting on the challenge that demands not only maintaining but promoting the professional level achieved by the event in its last edition in the city of Pereira.
ExpoPlantas Colombia
"We had double the number of exhibitors"
October 22nd, 2021
Complete Article at Floral Daily
The third edition of ExpoPlantas, the Colombian Trade Show for Nursery Growers, concluded last Friday, October 22, 2021, with figures that doubled the number of exhibitors and participating buyers in relation to the previous version.
Jairo Cadavid, president of the Association of Colombian Nurseries, Colviveros, pointed out that the event held at the ExpoFuturo Convention Center in Pereira brought together more than 600 Colombian ornamentals and live plant growers and 60 exhibitors who occupied 3,000 m2 with the best of the Colombian nursery growers´ portfolio including flower plants, foliage plants, orchids, cacti, succulents, palms, forestry, and fruit plant material, as well as inputs for the nursery chain. The Trade Show was opened by the Colombian Vice Minister of Agricultural Affairs, Juan Gonzalo Botero, and the general manager of ICA, the Colombian Phytosanitary Authority, Deyanira Barrero.
The agenda of activities carried out by Colviveros over the three-day event included workshops for small Colombian growers on issues related to productivity, varietal rights, marketing, and export of live plants, among other topics. The list of guest speakers included Fabian Sáenz, Vice President of Supply Chain of Costa Farms, USA, Nicolas Briffault from Richel, France, Mario Caicedo, an expert in brands, and Candy Bu, the largest live plants influencer in Colombia with more than 600 thousand followers on her YouTube channel.
For more information:
Jairo Cadavid Ossa - Colviveros
+57 (315) 813 3169
presidencia@colviveros.org
The Trade Show of the Colombian Nursery Industry
July 9th, 2021
➤ ExpoPlantas ready for Third Edition - Detailed Information
ExpoPlantas will offer next October in Pereira, the heart of the Coffee Belt Region of Colombia, the best national sample of the nursery industry, conferences, business networking, a varieties competition and visits to the region's plant production.
Pereira, one of the most important tourist Colombian cities, is internationally recognized as the heart of the Coffee Belt Region. The city will be the place where representatives of all facets of the Colombian nursery industry will meet, between October 20 and 22, 2021, for the third edition of ExpoPlantas, the Professional Nursery Trade Show in the country.
Contact Diana Linares | Mobile: +57 (302) 388 1084 | expoplantas@colviveros.org
Colombia and Mexico take their online plant business to the next level
April 12th, 2021
Complete article at The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH)
BOGOTA, Colombia: The Association of Colombian Nurseries, Colviveros, recently announced the launch of the B2B Conecta platform in the context of the first Digital Business Matchmaking Nurseries Forum in Colombia, which was held with the support of the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture between November 12 and 13, 2020.
Jairo Cadavid, president of Colviveros, pointed out that B2B Conecta, the innovative digital business tool created by OPF Mexico three years ago, is a trade platform aimed to create direct links between the supplier and buyer, and it is one of the best option available in the market to develop digital horticultural trade in Colombia. "In this way, suppliers and buyers can easily get in touch with new potential clients, and for this reason we have decided to offer our industry professionals the possibility of holding business meetings, generating access to distribution channels, and prospecting for clients and suppliers in Colombia and in the world," Cadavid says.
B2B Conecta makes business encounters possible between clients and providers by locating customers through digitally displayed products. Once a customer shows interest in a specific product by clicking on its Contact The Producer button, the business process begins. The parties involved can now generate conversations through an internal chat, send emails, and schedule virtual meetings within the platform itself.
Colviveros pays a visit to the new Dutch Ambassador
November 4th, 2020
Article published at Floral Daily
On October 29, 2020, the new Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Colombia, Ernst Noorman, and the Agricultural Advisor of the Dutch Embassy, Andrés Santana, shared a coffee with Jairo Cadavid, president of the Association of Colombian Nurseries, Colviveros. The meeting was intended to share with the Dutch diplomatic representative relevant information on nursery production in Colombia and its high socioeconomic impact for the country.
By 2021, the support to the live and ornamental plants segment will be reinforced with a greater participation of producers in initiatives such as the PUM program, which provides advice from Dutch experts in different fields, and issues such as the plant variety protection, among others.
Colviveros celebrates 4 years
October 9th, 2020
Article published at Floral Daily
The Nursery Trade Association in Colombia has built a Network of 600 participants in 15 regions of the country. In the "new global context", Colombia has seen an increase in the consumption of live plants.
Organizations such as 7 Colinas, Flormacoop, Bromelias de Colombia, Piante and Plantas del Tambo, among others, supported in 2016 the beginnings of the Association of Colombian Nurseries and Ornamental growers, Colviveros, an associative movement focused on seek the competitiveness of small nursery growers in Colombia. Colviveros celebrated its fourth anniversary of creation this week, with important advances in the segment of the production and commercialization of live and ornamental plants in Colombia, also positioning the sector as a dynamic agent for rural development in the country.
Jairo Cadavid, president of Colviveros, points out that beyond a representative work, the approach of the organization, which already has more than 600 participants in 15 regions of the country, has focused on working for the collective interests of its members, addressing two vital links for the sector: production and marketing.
For his part, Yefer Pulido, president of the Board of Directors of Colviveros, in turn manager of the most important wholesale live plants market in Colombia, indicated that the work of Colviveros has been decisive in making the segment of live and ornamental plants visible in the country, and above all, to promote the enormous socioeconomic impact of a sector on which more than 35,000 rural families depend in Colombia.
The Colviveros agenda began in 2016 promoting initiatives such as the VAT exemption on sales of live plants as a strategy to promote consumption and the formalization of nurseries in Colombia. In the same way, within the regulatory framework, the Trade Association has promoted paths with ICA, the Colombian phytosanitary agency, focused on the varietal renewal of the sector and the socialization of the new norms for the registration of nurseries and the mobilization of plant material in the country. And more importantly, Colviveros generated a whole new dynamic that allowed to keep open, in the middle of the confinement situation generated by the pandemic, the production and commercialization of live plants in Colombia.
"It has been 4 years of intense work, but beyond promoting and generating a greater relationship of our sector with the Government, we are supporting formalization initiatives, technical conferences, nursery meetings and international missions that seek to expand the vision of the producers; as well as platforms such as ExpoPlantas and the First Digital Business Meeting, spaces that promote the products and services of the sector, generate new commercial opportunities and highlight the work of the best producers in the country", adds Jairo Cadavid.
Four years is a very short period to realize the big dreams and opportunities for professionalization and growth for the Colombian nursery industry, both in the national market and in the context of exports in which the segment of live plants in Colombia begins to shine. For Colviveros, the importance of this first advance is based on the fact that in the midst of the current circumstances, the Colombian nursery has ceased to be invisible and small rural producers are learning and understanding that isolated they are small, while united they begin to have a voice and get stronger.
Finally, the president of Colviveros reported that live plants market in Colombia has been very positive in recent months. "Producers have experienced a positive commercial trend, on behalf of a final consumer who, in the midst of confinement, has learned to value the contribution of live plants to their well-being", he concludes.
For more information:
Jairo Cadavid Ossa - Colviveros
+57 (315) 813 3169
presidencia@colviveros.org
Colombian Government visits the nursery industry
August 18th, 2020
Article published at Floral Daily
The new Colombian Vice Minister of Agricultural Affairs of Colombia, Juan Gonzalo Botero, along with the General Manager of the Colombian Phytosanitary Agency, ICA, Deyanira Barrero, participated in a field trip to the Darwin Colombia production farm with Jairo Cadavid, president of the Association of Colombian Nurseries (Colviveros) on August 8, 2020.
The purpose of the visit was to get to know the company's live plants export procedure, as well as the employment generation potential of this ornamental segment in Colombia, given the fact that Darwin Colombia exported more than 70 millions cuttings last year, and it is the largest generator of legal rural employment per hectare in the county with 420 tons in only 7 hectares.
The government officials' visit to the Colombian nursery industry continued later on with a tour to the Saenz Fety's Innovation and Development Center, a place that shows the enormous impact the adoption of appropriate under-cover horticultural production technologies can have on productivity.
This Center was created in Colombia to research the adaptability, use, and management of forage seeds, vegetables, and agricultural inputs in order to guarantee the best possible outcome for the domestic agricultural producers.
For more information:
Jairo Cadavid Ossa - Colviveros
+57 (315) 813 3169
presidencia@colviveros.org
Survey by Colviveros reveals
Live plants begin to regain ground in Colombia
July 10th, 2020
Article published at Floral Daily
Little by little, and as a result of the entry into operation of sectors such as construction, the reopening of large stores and trends such as teleworking and digital commerce, the production segment of live plants and ornamental in Colombia begins to feel its commercial revival.
A survey carried out by the Association of Colombian Nurseries and Ornamental Growers, Colviveros, indicates that the segment registered a better commercial movement during the month of June and begins to retake its space in the national market. The sample advanced nationwide in the 15 departments where the Trade Association has presence, indicates that 55% of those surveyed recorded an improvement in their sales during the previous month, while 91% consider that this trend of Demand would continue for the second half of 2020, said Jairo Cadavid, president of Colviveros.
For 27% of the people who reported an increase in their commercial activity, their sales in June increased between 1 and 5%, while for 5% of the participants this figure reached a range of 6 to 10%. For 14% of those surveyed, the increase in their sales was between 21 and 30% and for 9% the increase was more than 50%. "End consumers are looking for more contact with nature, redecorating their homes and renovating their environments for teleworking. Live plants such as anthuriums, bromeliads, orchids and succulents, among others, also contribute to improving the mood of human beings, "explained the Colvivero's leader.
The news is very positive for the more than 35,000 families who depend on the production of live and ornamental plants in the country in the Colombian countryside, said the President of Colviveros, who noted that the Trade Association is currently working on a project with the Ministry of Agriculture to promote the benefits of live and ornamental plants in the country, and stimulate their consumption during the second half of the year.
Nursery Industry in Colombia
The production of live and ornamental plants is a segment composed mainly of a scheme of small farm growers. It is estimated that 35,000 peasant families in Colombia depend on the live plants and ornamentals sector.
For more information:
Jairo Cadavid Ossa - Colviveros
+57 (315) 813 3169
presidencia@colviveros.org
Colombian growers are prepared and committed to the Mother's Day season
April 29th, 2020
Article published at Floral Daily
Amid the difficulties generated by the conditions of preventive isolation in which many countries find themselves, ornamental producers in Colombia are working at full speed to meet a reactivated demand for Mother's Day, the second season for Colombian flower growers, which last year represented nearly USD 200 million, 15% of their annual sales.
Álvaro Villamizar, president of Caproflor, an association that has 75 flower growers especially concentrated in the Sabana de Bogotá, indicated that during the last week the producers have seen a rebound in the market, particularly in the United States, in view of the celebration of the day of Mother. "We are very pleased with all the support that the Colombian Government has given us to mobilize our workers and maintain the operation of the farms, the weather has also been favorable and we are going to send our clients one of the best flower productions in recent years," said the Trade Association leader.
For his part, Hugo Osorio, manager of Hydraflora and who leads from Geffa-Fenalco a group of more than 50 flower growers in the producing region of Antioquia, added that suddenly the market began to awaken from its lethargy and they are working at full speed to fulfill the orders of importers and wholesalers in different markets in the world. "For us, the response of the international market is very important to maintain the more than 130,000 jobs that we estimate depend on floriculture for export," he added.
But the production of fresh flowers for export from Colombia is not the only one that has begun to pick up pace amid the difficulties of the global pandemic. Little by little the nursery growers begin to receive orders for the domestic market for orchids, anthuriums, potted roses, as well as a great diversity of ornamental plants for the celebration of May 10. Jairo Cadavid, president of the Association of Colombian Nurseries, Colviveros, indicated that the producers feel prepared and optimistic with the internal demand for the season and many of them have turned to digital channels to bring their products to the final consumer.
"In the case of producers of ornamental plants, Mother's Day represents practically 25% of their annual sales, and, in the particular case of orchid growers these sales can represent more than 40% of the annual income of the small producers," said the president of Colviveros.
Losses of Colombian nursery industry amount to USD 65 Million
April 17th, 2020
Article published at Floral Daily
The three weeks of social isolation have generated a loss of USD 65 Million in income for the 35,000 families of rural producers and marketers of live and ornamental plants in Colombia, according to estimates from the Association if Colombian Nurseries and Ornamental Producers, Colviveros.
The president of Colviveros, Jairo Cadavid, indicated that based on the exceptions of mobilization of agricultural products expressed in Decree 531, the Trade Association estimates that only 10% of producers and marketers of live and ornamental plants are generating some type of home sales through the different digital platforms. "End consumers are learning to make digital purchases and for this reason we are working to bring them products for their usual environment such as orchids, anthuriums, bromeliads, cacti, succulents and potted roses, at a time when the day of mother, the main sales season for national nurseries", says the Association leader.
On the other hand, Cadavid mentioned that producers have found barriers when looking for liquidity with the bank to pay their payroll. "In many cases, the information on the credit lines generated by the Government has not flowed and the banks are taking care of their interests at a conjunctural moment, but beyond that, we consider that loans are not the main option for rural producers and can be considered coverage figures for each job generated or for each certified hectare. This segment requires more resources to work with some producers in projects of productive transformation towards the food chain, electronic commerce, virtual training and promotional campaigns that allow the final consumer to appreciate the benefits that live plants generate to improve their mood, purify spaces and be more productive", he adds.
In this direction, the President of Colviveros recognized the announcement of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Rodolfo Zea Navarro, who launched the "Productive Alliances for Life" program, an initiative aimed at strengthening the productive capacities and income generation of producers of the field and for which the Government will allocate USD 150 Million.
Cadavid also joined the request from various sectors to freeze the payment of leases. "Most of the nursery is carried out under the modality of leasing land and / or commercial premises and freezing the payment of these fees for at least three months would contribute to improving the liquidity of producers to prioritize the payment of payrolls. The weight of the commercial brake must fall on everyone's shoulders and not only on restaurants, bars, hairdressers and nursery producers and marketers," he concludes.
Finally, the president of Colviveros, added that "nurseries will work so as not to lose one of the most important sources of employment in the Colombian countryside, mainly in the department of Cundinamarca where 65% of the production of live plants and of ornamentals in the country. A few weeks ago, everything was predicted in a certain stable way, but now we are experiencing a high degree of uncertainty in which we must identify opportunities and prepare measures that allow us to survive and be more competitive in the new context ", Cadavid concluded.
For more information:
Colviveros
Jairo Cadavid Ossa - Colviveros
+57 (315) 813 3169
presidencia@colviveros.org
The market has crashed, but we are working to transform our competitive position
April 1st, 2020
Article published at Floral Daily
The determination of many governments to prioritize the food chain in the midst of the crisis caused by Covid-19 has affected many agricultural producers around the world, and Colombia - the world's second largest exporter of flowers - has been no exception. Caproflor, Geffa-Fenalco, and Colviveros came together to create the Intra-industry Group of Ornamentals (GIO), an associative movement of 663 Colombian flower, foliage, and plant producers responsible for 30% of the national production on 2,829 hectares. This new organization is working tirelessly in the reformulation of its competitive position.
The social media "Stay at Home" campaign has been this new Group's first joint effort. It seeks to stimulate local consumption of flowers, foliage and plants during the mandatory shelter-in-place order issued in Colombia. "We have been working with the Colombian Government to ensure that our products take their places back in different commercial channels such as department stores, florists, ornamental shops as well as their online presence so that families keep in mind that beyond their ornamental value, plants and flowers have a positive impact on people's mood and emotional health", said Jairo Cadavid, president of the Association of Colombian Nurseries and Ornamental Producers, Colviveros.
The next step for producers is to launch an international campaign. Álvaro Villamizar, director of Caproflor, added that the flower growers are seeking to keep open commercial channels with importers, mainly with department stores, and want to promote mothers' season next May. They also want to make both logistics operators and customs authorities to understand that Colombian flower producers are taking all phytosanitary measures to guarantee the quality of their products in the current circumstances.
In turn, Hugo Osorio, manager of Hydraflora and president of the Board of Directors of Geffa-Fenalco, added that flower producers in Antioquia in general work to maintain their operation and additionally guarantee the sources of employment generated by the flower industry close to 150,000 Colombian families. "To continue, we continue to work with the National Government to guarantee the support of the different entities in aspects such as VAT refunds, the regulation of licenses for employees, reliefs and exceptions in the matter of credits, and exchange coverage, issues that will help us make better decisions", concludes the trade association leader.
Finally, producers and marketers of live plants additionally work on different fronts such as supporting productive transformation, training processes aimed at facilitating electronic commerce and virtual training actions focused on aspects such as business continuity planning, financial liquidity and short-term financing scenarios, as well as tools to establish the impact of social isolation on ornamental companies in the coming months.
For more information:
Álvaro Villamizar - Caproflor
+57 (314) 475 3097
director@caproflor.com
www.caproflor.com
Hugo Osorio - Geffa-Fenalco
+57 (314) 645 3391
hugo@hydraflora.com
Jairo Cadavid Ossa - Colviveros
+57 (315) 813 3169
presidencia@colviveros.org
Colombia: 75 small-scale producers enjoyed workshop about trends in the sector
March 3rd, 2020
Article published at Floral Daily
The Association of Colombian Nurseries and Ornamental Growers, Colviveros, trained 75 small-scale producers of flowers, ornamental foliage, and potted plants from the Cundinamarca Region. The event, held on February 28, 2020, took place at Flormacoop, at the Paloquemao Market in Bogotá.
The Colombian growers participated in a workshop about trends in the sector under the guidance of the renowned floral designer, Iván Moreno and Ernesto Fonseca from Verdeza.
ExpoPlantas gathers the Colombian nursery industry
October 11th, 2019
Article published at Floral Daily
Colombian city Cali was the place where representatives of all facets of the Colombian nursery industry gathered this week for the second edition of ExpoPlantas, the New Professional Nursery Trade Show in the country. "It offered the best national sample of the nursery industry, conferences, business networking and the first varieties competition", says Jairo Cadavid, president of Colviveros, the organization of this show.
ExpoPlantas 2019 was attended by 52 exhibitors that displayed both growers and suppliers' commercial samples, more than 350 participants from Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Holland, México and Spain, and 15 renowned national and international experts from Ciopora, BioBest, Dümmen Orange, Gloeckner, FloraMundo and Sáenz Fety that oriented a wide-ranging and relevant program of educational seminars.
Varieties competition
At the other hand, the first Varieties Competition of the Nursery Industry opened a new window to promote high qualified ornamental products for both, growers and breeders. More than 250 plant varieties were judged by renowned experts.
Colviveros
Since its creation three years ago, Colviveros has been leading an ambitious formalization process of the nursery sector in Colombia which more than 3,000 small-scale producers and live plant marketing vendors participate. Nowadays, the association counts 536 affiliates and has a presence in 12 departments across the country.
The Trade Show of the Colombian Nursery Industry
ExpoPlantas ready for second edition
August 6th, 2019
Article published at Floral Daily
ExpoPlantas will offer next October in Cali, Colombia, the best national sample of the nursery industry, conferences, business networking, a varieties competition and visits to the region's plant production.
Cali, a sports, cultural, and tourist Colombian city, is internationally recognized as the Salsa Capital of the World and the third most populous city in the country. Cali will be the place where representatives of all facets of the Colombian nursery industry will meet, between October 9 and 11, 2019, for the second edition of ExpoPlantas, the New Professional Nursery Trade Show in the country.
Jairo Cadavid, president of the Association of Colombian Nurseries and Ornamental Growers, COLVIVEROS, pointed out that this event will be carried out by affiliate members and will be held at the Orquideorama Convention Center in Cali, a perfect venue for the exhibition of nursery products and input supplies. This facility offers excellent conditions, great exhibit place with imposing gardens, auditorium and rooms for the proposed activities.
The New Colombian Trade Show will be focused on the distribution chain rather than the final consumer, by providing not only business-to-business networking, but also a wide-ranging and relevant program of educational seminars. Industry-related technical and commercial issues will be addressed by renowned national and international experts. Furthermore, the Colviveros President indicated that ExpoPlantas 2019 will offer exciting displays of both growers and suppliers' commercial samples, to highlight the quality and steady growth of the nursery sector in Colombia, and promote the opportunities this green industry has to offer.
On the other hand, the Varieties Competition will open a new window to promote high qualified ornamental products for both, growers and breeders. On the 11th of October, Colombian Growers will visit nurseries located in the Valle del Cauca Region.
For more information contact:
presidencia@colviveros.org.
Colombian ornamental growers in the Netherlands
June 24th, 2019
Article published at Floral Daily
A group of 20 Colombian ornamental growers participated in the first inter-association mission promoted by Caproflor, the Geffa Flower Group and Colviveros, the Colombian Nursery Trade Association. They attended the GreenTech Fair, the World Horti Center, FloraHolland and the FlowerTrials in Holland between June 10 and 14, 2019.
At the GreenTech fair the producers found the latest technical developments in horticulture productivity within pavilions specialized in automation, substrates, fertilization, lighting and biological control. They also had the opportunity to listen to speakers from different parts of the world who, by sharing their knowledge and experiences in both the technical and commercial fields, enriched the second edition of this fair.
Furthermore, the Colombian plant and flower growers visited different varietal houses during the 2019 Ornamental Days. Cut flowers and potted plants of alstroemerias, anthuriums, begonias, calla lilies, cyclamen, carnations, hydrangeas, gerberas, mandevillas, orchids, petunias, traditional and garden roses, sage and succulents, among other species, were the most-visited attraction exhibited by companies such as Schreurs, Hilverda Kooij, Könst, Panamerican Seeds, Dümmen Orange, Floriculture and Anthura. Finally, the growers got to know the FloraHolland operation, which is the largest auction of ornamentals in the world, and visited the World Horticultural Center.
On the other hand, Jairo Cadavid, President of Colviveros, pointed out that the Trade Association is making the final steps for the second edition of ExpoPlantas 2019, the Colombian Nursery Trade Show which will be held in Cali next October.
For more information:
Jairo Cadavid
presidencia@colviveros.org.
Live plants in Colombia maintain VAT exemption
January 8th, 2019
Article published at Floral Daily
The Tax Reform approved last December in Colombia, will maintain the VAT exemption for plant sales in the country, said Jairo Cadavid, president of the Association of Colombian Nursery and Ornamental Growers, Colviveros.
The decision is taken in the midst of the fiscal adjustments the South American country must undertake from 2019 onward and responds to the Colombian vision of keeping the production of live plants free from the value added tax (VAT) as a strategy to stimulate the development of the green industry in the country.
This is a segment with a high growth potential that currently benefits around 35,000 families, mainly small farm producers, and is expecting a figure greater than USD21 million in exports by the end of 2018.
Since its creation two years ago, Colviveros has been leading an ambitious formalization process of the nursery sector in which nearly 4,000 small-scale producers and live plant marketing vendors participate. Nowadays, the Association counts with nearly 500 affiliates and has a presence in 12 departments across the country.