フローラホランドの「ニュースレター」（2012年4月11日号）に、米国の花き生産の最新事情（統計）が紹介されていた。記事は先月発表されたもので、タイトルは、”US Plant and Flower Industry Market Research Now Available”（米国花き産業の市場調査レポートから）である。
以下の記事を要約すると、おおよそ次のようになる。
１） 米国の花き小売業では、上位集中（ウォルマートなど）が進んでいる。
２） コロンビアなど海外からの廉価な輸入品が増えたことと、リーマンショック以来の景気後退で、国内市場（鉢物と切り花）の規模が縮小している。
３） 2012年までの5年間で、国内生産は年率4.2％で下落、金額では135億ドル（約1兆円）になるとみられている。
４） 生産者の数は、約4万5千箇所（農場）に減少しているが、とくに、小規模生産者にとっては経営環境がきびしさを増している。物流や品揃え、競争的に価格付けの面で不利だから。
５） レポートを発表している調査機関（IBISWorld）によると、今年度（2012年）も、対前年比で、3.6％の販売の減少を見込んでいる。
このレポートの論調は、日本の国内生産にそのまま当てはまる。わたしの経験では、米国の国内花き生産者は、日本に比べれば規模は大きいと感じている（20～50ヘクタール）。
それでも、 不況と小売業の上位集中から、価格のプレッシャーにさらされていることになる。出口はどこにあるのだろうか？レポートの論調がやや悲観的にすぎるように思えるが、統計データにウソはないだろう。
6月19日（火）に、JFMAは、米国とイタリアから花壇苗の生産者グループ（PW:プルーブン・ウイナーズ）の代表者を招へいし、国際セミナーを開催することになった。とくに、鉢物・花壇苗の部門で、価格競争から脱するための育種・ブランド戦略について考える。
日本国内からも、3人の生産者・育種家をパネラーとしてお迎えすることになっている。
セミナーへの申し込みは、JFMA事務局（和田：03－3238-2700）まで。
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FloraHolland (11 April 2012) – Demand for discretionary products like flowers fell with the whims of the recession. In addition, large retailers are beginning to take over large swaths of the retail market for flowers and nursery goods. As a result, establishment numbers are falling, though larger operators will likely benefit from industry consolidation. For these reasons, industry research firm IBISWorld has added a report on the Plant and Flower Growing industry to its growing industry report collection.
The Plant and Flower Growing industry has fared poorly in the past five years. The influx of cheap-cut flower imports from Colombia has had a staggering effect on domestic farmers, decreasing revenue at an average annual rate of 4.2% over the five years to 2012. IBISWorld expects revenue to total $13.5 billion by the end of 2012.
Over the five years to 2012, the number of establishments is anticipated to fall to 45,565, reflecting a myriad of problems within the industry. According to IBISWorld industry analyst Nikoleta Panteva, the recession has tightened the purse strings of US consumers, and highly discretionary products, such as flowers and nursery plants, have suffered from decreased demand. Additionally, large retailers, such as Walmart and Safeway, have taken over a substantial portion of the retail market for flowers and nursery items. These stores have the power to set low prices, forcing growers’ rates to drop. Improvements in transportation allow large farms, which can afford to ship cross-country, to be the main suppliers to buyers nationwide, since they offer better prices and variety than their smaller competitors.
As an agricultural industry, nursery and floriculture production has a low level of ownership concentration. Small family-run operations tend to dominate this industry. As such, there are no major players in the Plant and Flower Growing industry. While small businesses make up the greatest component of the industry, consolidation is resulting in rising numbers of large-scale producers. Competition and cost pressures are forcing smaller production farms to close as the industry moves toward large-scale production. A possible outcome of higher concentration will be greater profitability among large farms as fixed costs fall relative to production, says Panteva.
In 2012, IBISWorld expects the industry to continue declining, with revenue decreasing 3.9% from 2011. While the overall US economy is no longer in a recession, weak discretionary spending will continue to put a strain on flower sales throughout the year. Government support programs will likely pass over this farming industry, since flowers and nursery plants are discretionary goods unlike food. Furthermore, cheap imports allow Americans to purchase flowers at a low price, causing demand for domestic products to diminish even more. Through 2017, IBISWorld forecasts that revenue will continue to decline. Duty-free imports will continue to infiltrate the market, while the domestic industry struggles to remain on the map through intense price competition.
Genetically modified plant seeds may be the lifesaver this industry needs; however, current opposition to the movement leaves their future uncertain.
Source: http://www.ibisworld.com 26/03/2012
