Macrines Nyapendi
24 June 2009
Kampala — UGANDA dominated the annual flower trials in The Netherlands with over 600 varieties of chrysanthemums cuttings and pot plants from three flower farms.
New varieties including Obama, named after US President Barack Obama, were showcased at Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. Three companies, Royal van Zanten, Fiduga and Wagagai represented Uganda at the four day event.
The flower trials event is a brainchild of Royal van Zanten, Fides, Florema and Selecta-Weststek. Buyers and producers use it to showcase new plant varieties, breeding and growing methods from seed and cuttings.
In their relatively short seven-year existence, the Flower Trials, held in The Netherlands every June, have gained widespread recognition for great displays of innovative marketing programmes and the absolute newest in cut flowers, pot plants and bedding plants. At Rijsenhout, 250 new varieties grown in Uganda were on display.
"We conduct these trials for commercial purposes. Some are already on the market while others are being tested. All the varieties tested here this year are from Uganda," Yvonne Rekelhof, a senior breeder at Royal van Zanten said.
Royal van Zanten is banking on the celebrity and popularity of the US president to launch the Obama variety on the market. "We expect the Obama variety to be a commercially viable because the market is eagerly waiting for it,".
However, the flower variety will only be available on the market in a year's time, said Rekelhof. The Netherlands one of the world's leading growers and exporters of cut flowers and plants and conducts the world's biggest flower auction. The country is also the second most active flower consuming nation and takes in over 90% of Uganda's flower produce. Annual consumption of flowers per capita in The Netherlands stood at $77 in 2007.
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