Cut flowers opportunities highlighted to farmers
David Davidson, Cut Flower Development Adviser, Greenmount Campus, College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise.
Flower power attracted 50 people from traditional agriculture enterprises to Greenmount Campus in Antrim to learn about the production, marketing and economics of cut flower production at two recently held events at Greenmount Campus in Antrim. The participants viewed the Greenmount cut flower project to learn about key production techniques followed by presentations and discussion on the marketing and economics of production.
One of the participants Donald Montgomery, who runs a dairying and potato and contracting business at Eglington said this event had helped my understanding of what is required to run a successful cut flower enterprise. It could enable expansion of a farm business with limited additional capital or land requirement so merits serious consideration and further investigation.”
Further more CAFRE Senior Dairying Development Adviser Alan Agnew said the interest shown by diary farmers in attending the event has illustrated the willingness of progressive farmers to consider all profitable options when developing their business. Cut flowers may be a suitable opportunity for some enterprising farmers”.
David Davidson, CAFRE Cut Flower Development Adviser said We have shown that a wide range of cut flower species can be grown to first class quality and that their production both for Northern Ireland markets and for export to English markets can be profitable. The important thing however is that any new potential grower needs to fully investigate his or her market to understand what products to grow. Potential new cut flower growers should start with a small protected cropping area to learn the production techniques, then expand the business according to level of demand”.
Further information on producing cut flowers can be obtained from:
David Davidson, Cut Flower Development Adviser: Tel: 028 37515605, Mobile 077 7615 2524, e-mail: david.davidson@dardni.gov.uk.
From left to right David Davidson, Cut Flower Development Adviser, CAFRE, Sam Montgomery and his daughter Gillian Montgomery from Ballymoney, Donald Montgomery and his daughter Joanne Montgomery from Eglington and Alan Agnew, Senior Dairying Adviser, CAFRE with cut flowers grown in a demonstration project at Greenmount Campus