Saturday, August 21, 2004 An industry in bloom By Raquel C. Bagnol
AT THE mere mention of the word 'Davao City', the vision of beautiful orchids, exquisite cutflowers, foliages and other ornamental plants would immediately cross people's minds from across the country and the world.
In fact, Davao has carved its own comfortable niche in the world of flowers and has earned the distinction as the orchid center and a key floriculture production center in addition to its fair share of traditionally known fruit exports like mango, banana, pineapple, coconut products and local fruits like durian, mangosteen, and pomelo.
"The breakthrough for the flower industry in Davao City came about in 1995 when the first floral float parade was held during the Kadayawan Fetival, and from there, the industry went Boom!," Charita Puentespina, chamber president of the Floriculture Industry of Davao, Inc. (FIDI) and owner of the Puentespina Orchids and Tropical Plants, Inc., said in an interview at the Malagos Gardens.
She added that the following year, the industry gained recognition by going full blast in a lavish presentation of the floral float parade which, since then has become an annual event. Big scale flower growers pursued the industry with zest as new doors were opened for marketing and development.
"The floral parade not only provides the growers a chance to showcase their flowers but also a chance to market them and rake in revenues," Puenstespina added.
To date, only Davao and Baguio City, who also produces an ample supply of varied flowers holds an annual floral float parade which has continued to lure both local and foreign tourists.
"In the beginning, Baguio used plastic flowers for their floral parade but later, they caught up with Davao and resorted to using fresh flowers," Puentespina said.
Davao, she added, is an ideal location to grow flowers because it is endowed with amenities like its abundant natural resources and natural assets.
"Davao has a geographical advantage over other flower-producing places because its location is outside the typhoon belt and we can grow tropical and subtropical plants. We also have the advantage of being able to grow upland and lowland flowers all year round," she added.
Products
The temperate weather of Davao makes it conducive to grow a wide array of orchids, chrysanthemums, roses, liliums, carnations, asters, Cala lilies, cut flowers, potted flowering plants, ferns and others.
Of these, Puentespina said orchids rake in the most profits and are available whole year round.
The waling-waling (Vanda sanderiana), Davao's priced and most popular orchid played a big part to Dabawenyos love of flowers and has played an important factor in the development of the floriculture industry in the region.
Puentespina said that she originally bought her first waling-waling from the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) from P3,000-P5,000 when she started out as a hobbyist in 1977. The following year, she ventured into commercial production and that started her now-internationally renowned booming flower business, which is in fact the biggest cut-flower and ornamental plant farm in Region 11.
Puentespina Orchid Farm later developed the "Dendrobium Charisse", a local hybrid orchid which remains unequalled among the orchid varieties.
"The Waling-waling blooms best from July to October each year, and its very fertile because it easily propagates, and a cluster of waling-waling in full bloom is a very spectacular sight," Puentespina said.
Prices for Waling-waling with a single bloom is from P600 up but a whole cluster of waling-waling in bloom could command a market price ranging from P10,000 to P50,000, and even beyond.
The three major organizations of the key players of the floriculture industry in Davao City are the FIDI, the Mindanao Federation of Cutflower and Ornamental Plant Growers, Inc. (Minfed) and the Orchid Society of Davao Inc.
Puentespina pointed out that there are advantages for a grower to join an organization, and these include the opportunity to talk to big growers who are serious in the growing of ornamental plants, the chance to be updated on the latest technologies and trends of the industry and opportunities to go on organized trips abroad to visit other ornamental planters.
Marketing
At least 80 percent of Davao's cutflower production is delivered to Manila. Other major markets are in Cebu, Bacolod, and Iloilo. The rest goes to supply local demand.
Puentespina said that flower growers usually sell flowers at wholesale prices to retailers and give them the chance to command their prices to the buyers.
"We give the retailers free rein in the prices of flowers especially during the peak seasons where demand of flowers increase, and these are during the celebration of the All Souls Day in November, Christmas in December, Valentines in February, Graduation in March and during weddings which registers highest from December to February," Puentespina said.
The retailers distribute the flowers to institutional buyers like hotels, restaurants, funeral parlors, supermarkets, flower shops, boutiques and street vendors.
Puentespina said there are at least 15 big scale flower growers in the city and the rest are small and medium-scale growers.
(August 21, 2004 issue) Write letter to the editor.Click here. Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
