The Florverde initiative of the Colombian Flower Exporters Association (Asocolflores) is gaining ground in the UK.
Marks & Spencer, Asda and Tesco and packers Flamingo, Intergreen and Worldflower; have all recently demonstrated increased interest in the quality label that certifies the environmental and social responsibility of the farms that take part in the programme.
“After visiting and confirming the quality of our flowers, Marks & Spencer significantly increased its orders of Colombian flowers,” said a spokeswoman for Asocolflores. “Florverde®, in turn, guarantees the supermarket that it is purchasing an excellent product for its clients.”
The label was created in 1996 and is endorsed by the Swiss-based firm SGS. It is in the process of harmonisation with EurepGAP and with the ETI Base Code.
According to Asocolfores data up to March 2006, 74 different Colombian flower types and varieties had been certified by Florverde, which translates into nearly five trillion stems.
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