There’s a great deal of change taking place in the flower production sector at the moment, and much like with the fruit and veg trade, there are winners and losers.

Price pressure from supermarkets, garden centres, DIY sheds and other major chains is making it difficult for producers to make a profit, while input cost increases are making life hard for traditional European growers. The death of the English chrysanthemum industry is just one example of the changing times.

As with everything else, success seems to hinge on differentiation. The Colombians – who are facing a stronger challenge than ever from the Kenyans (see page 22) – are working hard to produce the largest heads and longest stems possible, while the Mexicans are focused on product quality. The Kenyans themselves are adding sustainability and social responsibility credentials to their lower-cost advantages.

With improvements in seafreight cooling technology boosting the affordability of the long-haul sector, the global nature of supply is only likely to increase.

It all makes for a fascinating industry, and it is one that we will be focusing on with much greater regularity in future.