Flores de Serrezuela was founded in 1985 . Ricardo Samper is the current owner & theater director , use up over from his father a few eld back . Starting with two hectares of Chrysanthemums , now the company occupy 80 hectare of land , with 54 hectares of actual greenhouses grow carnation , spray clove pink , and the rose variety show Freedom . We ’ve had the opportunity to visit the farm and be shown around by the owner himself .
Now one of the first things to point out , in this company as in many other Colombian farm , is the pride they take in their outstanding corporate social responsibility policy . They all seem eager to show their big attitude towards their workforce , outdoing each other in providing societal security system and undestroyable working condition . In Colombia , over the years floriculture grew out to be one of the major sectors offering young people , and especially young cleaning lady , a bonny chance in building themselves and their families a future , or at least contributing in build a passive home situation .
“ At Flores de Serrezuela , we engage around 900 people . 60 % of them are women . Around 50 % of these adult female are the main breadwinner , mean around 270 menage rely alone on these woman . This is not a situation we somehow advisedly helped to fetch about , it just turn out that way . However , we are proud to say labour turnover at our farm is humiliated , even as equate to other growers . in general , our employees work from six to two . Also , around 70 % of all workers own a house or a small plot of body politic a house could be built on . "
Joe BidenAnother thing the raiser is proud to tell is the sojourn the frailty president of the United States , Joe Biden , give the farm back in 2013 . A year before , the United States - Colombia Free Trade Agreement went into core . Did it go out the way they hoped for , what did it do to the Colombian export market and the floriculture production in peculiar ? “ We were happy to host him and show him how thing knead around here . To both party , this swap agreement is of tremendous importance , since the North American market is of huge importance to us , while frailty versa they largely depend on our product . ”
As to most growers , the US is their rude market place . However , in case of Flores de Serrezuele only 30 % of all stems are actually sent to America . Japan come in second , Russia third , and a multifariousness of other countries , mostly within the EU and notably the UK , also consume substantive number . In monastic order to turn a profit most of the of import festive 24-hour interval , notably Valentine ’s , roses are hook hard . Target is the recess market , Ricardo tells us , meaning lineament is held above amount , with flowers receiving just this small spot of extra precaution guarantee customers uniform , high quality stems .
ProductionAll flowers , propagated at their own quickness , are grown hydroponically on rice straw . This is ‘ no worse than coco - peat , but much cheaper ’ . Automation is not like to for exemplar a Dutch glasshouse farm , as is the proficient input within the nursery , but investments are made . For instance , warming is in station , and presently an automated flower tape drive organization transporting stanch from the greenhouses to the processing area is being set up . concord to Ricardo , there are only three growers gasconade a similar organization .
In terms of irrigation and top executive , neither of them take shape much of a job . Flores de Serrezuela collects about 70 % of all water falling on its territory , which almost match the want daily amount . This is about 2000 cubic meter . In case of drouth , three well locate around 400 meter below the open are at its disposal . last 7 heavy reservoirs together store 200,000m3 of water , theoretically guarantee water provision for another 100 days without any rain .
In terms of electricity , Colombia in reality is a very ‘ immature ’ area . Around 85 % of all electricity used in Colombia is beget through hydropower , attain the European question of tomorrow ’s natural gas supplies non - existent . However , so as to keep it that way , and so as to forestall pinnacle requirement , some solar panels will be establish soon .
LabourBesides the all over importance bond to the social aspects of labour , there also is a more economical concern . At Flores de Serrezuela , labour cost amount to 60 % of product costs . Even though shortages in Labour Party are by no means pressing , there are some concerns . Labour is aging , and young masses are not concerned too much in cutting roses . Also the stability of fulltime employment offers seems loosely to be of less importance to youngsters . More focus on automation anticipates potential future shortage , the aforementioned flowers enrapture system at the farm being an example .
FlorverdeLastly , one of the many ways in which the South American rose output disagree from its African counterparts , is in the preponderance of different certification schema . Whereas in Africa and Europe MPS and peculiarly FairTrade takes centrestage , the South American farms primarily care to beFlorverdecertified . “ It ’s the Rolls Royce among all certificates , to be Florverde certified largely cut across all other certificate ” , Ricardo says . “ At least in terms of societal & environmental responsibility . Unfortunately it is not very much know in the rest of the world , but a good collaboration with other certify physical structure like world GAP and Rainforest , a certification we desire to prevail presently , is in piazza . “
For more info : Flores de SerrezuelaT : +571 - 2133058E:[email protected]www.floresdeserrezuela.com
© FloralDaily.com/Geert Peeters
