Australian Floral Industry

Internationally, Australian grown flowers have a good reputation, known for their vibrancy, colour and good form. Many think the secret of the Australian flowers is our fantastic climate and rich soil, others think it is good farming practices put into use. Both native varieties of flowers, such as wattles and banksias are cultivated, as well as more exotic flowers such as orchids and roses.

Victoria is the largest producer of cut flowers, supplying 40% of the national total, followed by Western Australia. The majority of flowers come from flower farms, this means that they are specifically cultivated for this purpose. It is very rare for flowers to be collected in the wild. In the past, in Western Australia in particular, many of these flowers were collected from the bush. Conservation concerns have, for the most part, put this practice to a stop.

The market for cut flowers in Australia is estimated to be valued at $400 million dollars a year. For the flowers that are sold within Australia, 85% are exotic varieties. Contrary to this 90% of all exported flowers are native species. These trends do appear to be moving, with many Australians choosing native varieties over exotic favourites.

In comparison the rest of the world, the Australian flower market is small. The largest producer of flowers is the Netherlands. Most of the world’s flowers are produced in Western Europe, making the region self sufficient. Australia’s main export consumers are the USA and Japan.

Many industry experts the sign is only starting to rise when it comes to the Australian flower industry. The consensus is that there is much more room fro growth and expansion and that in the next five to ten years that this market will increase substantially.

There are many challenges ahead for the industry. Drought and water supply is an issue that all farmers in Australia are currently facing. Cut flower farmers are looking for new methods and technology to produce higher quantities and better quality cut flowers, working closely with researchers to do so.

When looking for cut flowers, choosing Australian grown is always an excellent option. Not only will you receive beautiful and healthy blooms but you are supporting local farmers and Australian jobs. Why not surprise someone with a beautiful bunch of native blooms? Kangaroo Paws, Boronias and Proteas are all popular native blooms as a choice for cut flowers.