TAIPEI (TVBS News) — As Mother's Day approaches, the domestic carnation trade is bustling. The wholesale price at the Taipei Flower Market hit a historic high on Tuesday (May 7), averaging NT$126.5 per bunch, a more than 20% increase from the same period last year.
The Agriculture and Food Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture attributes the price hike to weather conditions affecting this year's growth period, resulting in a roughly 20% decrease in yield.
The Agriculture and Food Agency said that domestic carnations come in various colors. In addition to the mainstream red and pink, there are also yellow, orange, purple, and even unique green and dual-color series.
On the other hand, the flower industry's exports have significantly recovered. This year's overall flower production value is expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels.
Su Teng-chao, head of the Fruit and Flower Industry Division at the Agriculture and Food Agency, said domestic flowers are mainly exported to the United States and Japan. He anticipates this year's flower export value will exceed the US$210 million recorded in 2019.
Domestic flower consumption has also increased in recent years due to promotions in bulk supermarkets and religious collaborations. For example, the Agriculture and Food Agency and PXMart have set up a domestic flower sales area in northern cities, reducing the unsold rate of flowers to less than 30%.
