Many farming families in the Netherlands have centuries of tradition in flower growing and trade, and they expand and control the flower business around the world. One such company is Royal Van Zanten.

Cut flowers were first grown commercially in the 16th century, in greenhouses, by the Dutch, who still lead the flower trade. Royal Van Zanten is one of the companies at the top in flower breeding, growing and marketing, with growing areas beyond the Netherlands in South Africa, Uganda and New Zealand.

The company began in 1862 and is now known worldwide as an international nursery for plants and flowers. It works with progressive ideas, developing new flower varieties and researching existing ones, and its breeding programme is strong and advanced.

Its focus is the world market. Its main business is exporting tulip bulbs, and it also grows flowers in many countries, with large growing areas in South Africa and Uganda, where lower labour costs cut overall production costs. Each year it produces 110 million lily bulbs, 50 million tulip bulbs and 20 million bulbs of lilium and other flowers. In summer, from April to June, it sells 50 million tulip bulbs.

The company follows Bangladesh's progress in floriculture closely and may build growing and trade links with the country in future.

Source: Shykh Seraj, Hridoye Mati O Manush. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.