Capiz, Philippines, Asia cut foliage and cut flowers
Background
Following the collapse of the shrimp industry in the mid 1980’s, an interesting industry slowly emerged in the early 1990’s as dynamic and aggressive businesswomen turned their expensive hobby into a multi-million dollar profitable and enjoyable “lonely” industry. This paved the way for the birth of the Flower Industry in the Province of Capiz. From a little-known industry, it has grown to become one of the rapidly expanding agribusiness sectors in the province, currently involving more than 5,000 stakeholders, florists, landscapers, contractors, technologists, input suppliers, agricultural technicians and gardeners.
Capiz is a major producer of potted orchids and cut orchids, garden materials, fresh foliage and potted ornamentals throughout the Visayas. It is also recognized as one of the sources of the best and rarest ferns in the country today. Today, it is slowly building a name as the leading source of exportable cut foliage in the country.
Roxas City leads the number of growers in the province with ten (10) commercial farms located here. It is also considered as the commercialization center with the presence of 4 points of sale such as Paseo de Catedral, Balay Kapisnon, Trade Center Teodoro Arcenas and Talon Garden Center. It is followed by the municipalities of Sigma, Dao, Panay and Ivisan. As of December 2005, it is estimated that the total area dedicated to floriculture exceeds one hundred hectares.
Behind the strength of the industry is the Capiz Multiple Purpose Cooperative (CMPC), which serves as the main coordinating body for cut flower and ornamental plant growers throughout the province. It works closely with National Government Agencies (NGAs), Local Government Units (LGUs) and relevant industry associations to provide a business climate conducive for the industry to develop and grow. All the large producers in the province are members of the Capiz MPC. It is an organization duly registered with the Cooperative Development Authority and the Department of Commerce and Industry.
The local ornamental industry group is made up of core industries, supplying industries, and other industries that provide related and other services. The group is made up of interrelated and interdependent supporting industries and institutions.
Vision
A unified, self-sufficient, environmentally friendly and globally competitive floriculture industry to improve the quality of life for its members and community and to be known as the “Cut Foliage Capital of the Philippines”
Suppliers of services and supplies: this category includes the following:
Landscapers: Those who provide landscaping services to homes, public and commercial buildings, subdivisions, memorial parks, others. There are about 9 well-known professional landscapers in the province at present.
Floral Artists: Those who provide flower arranging services for occasions such as weddings, funerals, debuts, graduations, product launches, grand openings, etc. Most of the floral artists are concentrated in the Paseo de Catedral located near the Metropolitan Cathedral of Roxas City, as they are also cut flower dealers.
Cut Flower/Ornamental Plant Dealers – Dealers engaged solely in the sale of cut flowers and ornamental plants. Either they sell at a permanent stall/place (such as Balay Kapisnon, Paseo de Catedral) or they are itinerant (like most vendors during municipal/city market days).
Input suppliers: include those engaged in the sale of garden supplies and accessories, such as organic fertilizers (Hacienda Olive), terracotta/plastic pots, and soilless plant substrates.
State and performance of the industry
Production
Cut flowers
The province produces only a few varieties of cut flowers on a commercial scale. These are orchids (white dendrobiums), roses and asters (white and lilac). Other low-quality varieties produced on a limited scale include dahlias, lilies, African daisies, variegated heleconias, and gladioli (orange). Cut orchids and heleconias peaked in production between 1995 and 2000 with 4 commercial farms producing a total output of 1,500 dozen per week. The volume of production slowly decreased in the last 5 years as more and more flowers from outside the province flooded the local market. Currently, only 1 farm grows orchids.
Fresh Foliage and Live Plants
Foliage plants comprise 80% of the ornamental plant industry in Capiz and have become an important source of livelihood for many families. Most of the foliage plants are grown on commercial farms and backyard gardens in Sigma, Dao, Panay, Ivisan and Roxas City.
Foliage plants are sold as cut, potted, or live plants. Potted plants serve as houseplants and landscaping, while cut foliage is for flower arrangements.
The demand for foliage plants is increasing. During the last 10 years, foliage plants, whether cut or live, have the largest share of the export market. Currently, Capiz is the only province exporting cut leaves to Japan in all of Luzon and the Visayas.
Main products sold
The industry’s products and services include cut flowers, potted flowering plants and vegetables, cuttings, cut foliage, landscaping materials, soilless rooting media, flower arranging services, landscaping services.
A. Cut Flowers: They are so called because they are separated from the parent plants and are made into bouquets, garlands, arrangements, centerpieces, and the like. They are grown and traded for their aesthetic value. They are given as a thank you and as an expression of love, joy, and encouragement on occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and special events such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and All Saints/Candy Day. The main cut flowers produced by the province are orchids such as dendrobiums and vanda terrete; roses, puto-puto, heleconias and gladiolas.
B. Filler Flowers: Includes white and lilac asters and baby’s breath.
C. Cut and Containerized Foliage Plants: Refers to fresh leaves, twigs and branches cut fresh and used in flower arrangements, evergreens and foliage plants grown in containers for indoor and outdoor decorations. The main cut foliage produced by the province are dracaenas, policias, palms, song of India, song of Korea, kamuning, cordylines, bottlebrush, rappis and ferns.
D. Potted Plants: Flowering annuals, shrubs, herbaceous perennials grown in containers used for exterior and interior decorations. Popular flowering pot plants grown here include orchids, spurges, hibiscus, and bromeliads.
Landscaping Materials: Plants consisting of evergreen and flowering trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, grass covers, and fiberglass used for landscaping purposes. The following are some of the high-value palms grown in the province: Champagne, Bismarck, Hawaiian Fox Tail, Red & Blue Palm, and Sugar Palm. Meanwhile, some of the widely cultivated ground covers include mundo grass, golden peanuts, carabao grass, bermudagrass, and chichi rica.
Soilless rooting media: coco coir/dust, organic fertilizer, driftwood, fern wood, and chips.
Organic Fertilizer: Locally produced and manufactured soil improvers. One of the most used brands is RANCAP, which is made by Hacienda Olive in Pontevedra.
Services: Landscaping, Floral Arrangements, Plant Clinic/Consulting
Existing business houses
1. Cathedral Walk
Arsobizpo Street, Roxas City
2. Balay Kapisnon
McKinley St., Roxas City
Such. No. (036) 621-3445
3. Talon Garden Center
Mayo Street Primer, Roxas City
VII. industry potentials
The industry has great development potential due to the following factors:
Technology and support available
§ Availability of suitable production technologies from external sources.
§ Government and research institutions such as DTI, DA/BPI, DOST, PCARRD could very well provide the necessary technical and logistical support for the development of the industry.
§ Production technologies are available for the extraction of essential oils, which are in high demand in domestic and export markets.
Strong workforce and growers association
§ Membership in national industry associations
§ Existence of the Capiz Multipurpose Cooperative, which serves as the umbrella organization for all growers of cut flowers and ornamental plants in the province.
§ The province has a supply of trainable labor.
Favorable Environment
The province does not have a pronounced dry or wet season that is suitable for growing ornamental plants. Also, the province is rarely visited by strong typhoons.
Vast tracts of land are still available for development.
growing demand
Growing international and national demand due to the growing appreciation of the aesthetic value and environmental importance of ornamental crops.
Proximity to other Asian markets puts Capiz in a good position to serve emerging markets.
The opening of the Iloilo International Airport improves the capacity for international trade.
VII. projections
Imports (intranational and international)
Fresh cut flowers will dominate imports of ornamental plant products from the province. These imported flowers are those that are not produced locally due to climatic conditions such as chrysanthemums, lilies, roses, anthuriums, stretch marks, gerberas, carnations and some varieties of gladioli. Coming closer, there will be other live plants, cuttings and cuttings that will also be used as planting materials or mother plants. Far in third place are orchid seedlings. Flowers have seasonal demands.