LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Let the beauty of a flower speak for itself that being so, humanity is, maybe like a flower, blooming when flowers kiss humans.
Or, “Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity.”
Fresh cut-flowers exported by the Philippines recently raked in more than 4 million US dollars, such a scale marking the Philippines emergence as a major participant in the multi-million world trade in blossoms, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reveals.
The foreign exchange earning is on top of a growing domestic market for cut-flowers whose annual sales have hit the multi-million-peso level, says PSA.
PSA notes that the local cut-flower trade in blossoms is developing into a “principal agro-industrial sector” whose limitations depend on venture capital entering such an investment area.
And the province of Benguet has positioned itself as a major hub and prime producer of prime cut-flowers, in the manner that it produces the best in succulent vegetables.
For example, in the production of only chrysanthemum, Benguet farmers are capable of producing an average yearly output of 1.59 million dozen.
Coming at the heels are gladioli, daisies, calla lilies, carnation, anthurium (grown mostly in cool climate like Benguet), birds of paradise, lobelia, snapdragon, marigold, alyssum, forget-me-not, petunia, and still many others.
Hence, it underscores that government assistance is needed to modernize development of the Benguet cut-flower industry whose potentials include generation of job opportunities for both the rural and urban areas.
According to local observers, policymakers in this northern Philippine province have a vital role in making the industry bloom, by ensuring that cut-flower growers have budget support beyond the term of this current, or Marcos administration.
Silverio Bolano, a vegetable grower who also cut flower growing somewhere in the outskirts of Baguio but near Tuba Municipality, explained funds are needed to assist planters in increasing production through establishment of production facilities.
In talking about these facilities, Lumbion Alpides, who grows vegetables and cut-flowers for his employer somewhere near the boundary of Atok municipality bordering east of Bokod municipality, said these include tissue culture laboratories and conduct of research for varietal improvement.
“Cut-flower growers, just like the vegetable growers in CAR, also need financial support to bankroll their initiatives to improve marketability of cut-flowers, including participation of producers in local and international trade fair promotions and other related events, “Alpides quipped.
Sammy Odio, an agriculture student who helps his parents sell cut-flower at Baguio Flower Section said he remembered former Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar had issued Department of Agriculture (DA) memorandum Circular (MC) 09, which ordered inclusion of ornamentals in the list of priority crops in the government’s High Value Crops Development Program (VCDP).
Pointing to studies after issuing the MC, Dar said then that the global market for flowers and ornamental plants was valued at 48. 15 billion US dollars in 2020 and expected to rise to 74.2 billion by 2026 Odio narrated.
Dar said the Philippines is one of the emerging producers of ornamental plants and during the past year, was able to ship out products worth 4.935 million US dollars to countries like Japan, United States, Netherlands and European countries.
Yet despite growth potential of the flower and ornamental industry, high costs of structures, like greenhouses, irrigation, post-harvest facilities, unavailability of quality planting materials, insufficient production technology for new varieties or types of cut-flowers, high credit interests and substantial shortage of supply hamper its growth potential.” Dar explained then, then during his term as agriculture secretary.
Cut-flower trade pertains to the sale of fresh blossoms. These are flowers cut from their stems and are sold and are used for corsage, wreaths, and special vase or flower arrangements for numerous social occasions.
On the other hand, ornamental plant growing refers to the growing of ornamental shrubs, trees and potted non-flowering plants for indoor or outdoor décor, which makes up another agri-industrial sector.
And in the forefront of this active floriculture, considered one of the nation’s sunshine industries, are the flower growers in Benguet, north of the Philippines, which have undergone a remarkable transformation over the last seven years when production began to increase with the domestic demand.
Growth of the domestic cut-flower market has been brought about by the increasing number of growing-income classes, changing consumer preference and expanding institutional demand driven by growth of tourism in Baguio, Benguet including the other provinces that make up Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Consequently, Benguet and other provincial vegetable growers started to reposition to cut-flower production and their effort has paid off.
For Benguet is now recognized as a major producer of cut-flowers and their products transported immediately to Manila where there, florists, business entrepreneurs purchase these in bulk, and re-sell them to consumers.
Anyone can see this daily beehive of activity at Dimasalang St., Manila, just near the Dangwa Flower Market which has warehouses full of flowers that arrive daily from Benguet and other areas like Nueva Viscaya.
Dangwa Flower Market is named after the Dangwa Tranco Bus Terminal. Beginning in 1970’s, it became the “bagsakan” (main source) of flowers in Metro Manila where the majority of blooms come from Benguet, the rest from other provinces.
In the 1970’s going forward, the majority of the flower sellers who were from Benguet realized they needed to have permanent stalls for the selling of the flowers and applied for business permits with the city of Manila. Now majority of the stalls at the Dangwa Flower Market are in the hands of Benguet folks, making lucrative business there.
Dangwa Flower Market is busiest during holidays, where demand for flowers peak, like Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Holy Week, All Saints, Christmas and New Year. The market is known as a home of the finest flowers for various occasions.
Dangwa Flower Market in Manila is a haven where anyone can search for flowers of all colors and kinds at very reasonable prices.
Months of January, February, May, October, November and December are listed by PSA as consisting the peak season for the domestic cut-flower market, when supply usually cannot keep up with demand.
Limited supply is the reason why some cut-flower sellers resort to imports, particularly from Asian countries like Thailand, whose horticulturists and other agriculture experts ironically learned their expertise from studies at Philippine agricultural universities.
According to many Metro Manilans who have visited Baguio as tourists and interviewed last week, they consider Dangwa Flower Market as Metro Manila’s premier flower market, saving them less stress and able to stick to their schedules when searching for flowers, all these thanks to the Benguet cut-flower producers.
Floriculture, as agriculturists at Benguet State University (BSU) correctly calls it, or simply flower growing, has experienced steady growth in Benguet over the past few years largely due to an increase in the needs of consumers, combined with growing interest on decorative cut flowers, particularly for occasions.
The Philippine floriculture market was recently estimated by Philippines Floriculture Market Outlook to grow at 6% annually, driven mainly by high demands for flower varieties like Chrysanthemum, roses, lilies. Gerberas, etc.
Drivers in this growing demand include interest in cut flowers for aesthetic, gifting purposes, decorations, celebrations and expressions of emotion. But these flowering plants face a range of challenges that influence their growth and sustainability.
Benguet growers face fluctuations in weather patterns that can impact growth and quality of flowers, hence affecting supply and pricing.
There is the “andap,” heavy dew or frost, thin-ice crystals that can hammer the municipality of Atok (also a flower-growing area) and nearby municipalities as well. When the crystals lands on plants, these damaged plants withering them by “burning” their leaves and stems. It is technically called “radiation frost.”
Another is the Northeast Monsoon, a seasonal wind pattern arising in Asia’s northeastern part and arriving in the country, is responsible for causing rapid drop in temperature and bringing in the andap in Benguet mountains.
To mitigate Northern Monsoon effects Benguet farmers have to shell out money in buying plastic cover blankets to protect crops, installing windbreaks and making the soil moist and maintaining insulation.
Pests and diseases also pose significant threats to flower crops, requiring effective pest management strategies, many of the flower growers revealed, during an interview at the temporary stay at the Abong Ibaloi Heritage Garden display at Melvin Jones Grandstand, Baguio.
These flower growers explained meeting consumer preferences for diverse and high-quality flower varieties requires continuous innovation and adaptation.
Addressing environmental concerns and adopting sustainable practices are crucial for the long-term health of the floriculture industry, both BSU agriculturists and the flower growers state.
Majority of cut-flower producers in this upland province are small-scale entrepreneurs, identified as farmers who have found growing flowering plants as a good cash side crop. There are also hobbyists in Baguio who tend gardens in their front and backyards.
Produce of flower growers by purchasers from Manila and other regions, whose increase in number, further attest to the fact that the sector has become a multi-million-peso business.
While Philippine cut-flower exports are not enough to place the country among major exporters, it can easily count itself among such a group because of certain horticultural advantages within the broader context of agriculture, the experts added.
