APIP Agricultural Policy Implementation Project

in both activities. Finally, there are wholesalers who never import although
they may purchase from an importer.
The flower market at Rungis is located in warehouse C-1, a huge facility
that houses the booths of between 75 to 100 wholesalers. Most wholesalers are
very interested in discussing potential imports because they are always looking
for new sources of flowers, especially high quality flowers. One interesting
trend among French wholesalers is that they are targeting a growing "niche"
market for high quality French flowers, especially roses, at premium prices. The
increase on the market of lower-cost lesser quality imported roses has aroused
the market for high-quality French roses, which French growers are actively
promoting.
The import season is from September to mid-June, although some countries
(Kenya and Thailand) start exporting around the end of August. The developing
countries that are well-known at Rungis for their flowers include:
0 Colombia: carnations and spray carnations
* Kenya: mini-carnations, statice, and astromeria
• Peru: gypsophila
• Morocco: roses (80 percent); mini-carnations (10-20 percent)
As discussed earlier, roses are the most important imported flower and the
most popular flower in France. Popular red roses include first Vega and
Samantha, and second, Madelon, Cardinale, Royal Red, and Red Success. Popular
pink roses include Omega and Sonia. One rose that is popular but not imported
is Mme. Delbard. One wholesaler asserted that it is too expensive to import a
60 cm. rose that costs 70-75 FF CIF Rungis (per bunch of 20). This price can be
contrasted with that of the Vega, as reported by one wholesaler: a 60cm. "extra"
quality is 48FF (per bunch of 20) in Morocco, 51FF CIF Rungis to wholesaler, and
60FF at Rungis to retailers. Apparently, an expensive imported rose like Mme.
Delbard would have to be of extremely high quality to compete well with French
and European roses. Quality-price differentiation is very important and in
Morocco different rose growers produce according to different quality standards.
One wholesaler cited the price/quality differences among three growers she was
importing from:
* Grower 1: 42FF/bunch of 20 for "lere choix", 38FF for "2eme choix"
* Grower 2: 46FF/bunch of 20 for "extra" quality
* Grower 3: 48FF/bunch of 20 for "extra" quality
Price differences among flowers from different growers can be significant,
as illustrated in the example above where a 1OFF difference between growers l's
"2eme choix" and grower 3's "extra" flowers represents a discount of about 20
percent for lower quality. Demand for Moroccan roses was very strong at Rungis
but they receive mixed reviews for quality. Several wholesalers indicated that
Moroccan roses were actually flooding the market and that while in general
quality was mediocre, a number of growers were able to regularly supply the
market with roses of consistently excellent quality. One wholesaler said he
worked with one Moroccan grower "like a partner," although they had no written
contract. In fact, most of the importer-wholesalers indicated that they avoid
taking equity positions inoperations although they often develop close and long­
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