The amalgamation of a number of flower and plant growing businesses in Italy has implications for the global floricultural industry and shows that there is considerable optimism in Europe for the future of the industry.

The Flower Council of Holland estimates that the value of the European market for flowers and plants in 2004 was €22.7 billion (€13.8 billion for flowers and €8.9 billion for plants). In the period 2004 – 2014 the increase in value of the market is estimated at 3.1% for flowers and 3.9% for plants.

Ciccolella Holding, a family controlled floriculture business in Southern Italy, has joined a larger group that has been quoted on the Italian stock exchange. The move could be viewed as a significant challenge to the European import market for roses due to the type and quality of roses being grown, the much reduced transport distances and what will become a fully integrated distribution from production through to retail at an international level.

Production costs are made much more competitive through the co-generation of energy – utilisation of waste hot water from power generating stations for heat.

The Ciccolella group represents the most important production of cut-roses in Europe, producing 15 million stems in 2005. It is the exclusive licensee in Italy for the well-known cut-flower rose varieties bred by W Kordes & Söhne. It is also one of the largest producers of anthuriums with three million stems.

Ciccolella Holding production facilities consist of 24ha of greenhouses but is set to increase in the next few years to more than 100ha and an eventual total production capacity of 118 million roses and 15 million anthurium stems.

The group’s plans include the construction of a centre for flower processing and an agro-industrial research centre. The group has other production facilities in Morocco, Tunisia and Hungary.

In addition to the cultivation of fresh cut-flowers, the group also produces young plants and graftings.

As part of the amalgamation Ciccolella Holding purchased the Dutch Zurel Group for a price of €7.8 million.

The Zurel Group, with a turnover of €123 million and a workforce of 200 employees is one of the five most important wholesale distributors of flowers and pot plants to the international market, exporting to 60 countries.