New NI Flower and Foliage Association Founded

Northern Ireland Flower and Foliage Association office bearers (from left) David Davidson, CAFRE (secretary), Valerie Orr, Trainview Farm, Ballygowan (PR officer), David Morrow, T Morrow and Sons Nurserymen, Newry (chairman), Professor John Dole, North Carolina State University (visiting speaker) and Leslie Bell, Moorfield Flowers, Rathriland, (treasurer).

LOCAL flower and foliage growers have come together recently to form the Northern Ireland Flower and Foliage Association (NIFFA) with the aim of supporting and promoting the cut flower and foliage sectors of the Northern Ireland Horticulture Industry.

NIFFA currently has 18 cut flower and foliage businesses in membership.

The cut flower and foliage sector in Northern Ireland has grown greatly in the last number of years to an estimated farm gate value of £1.2m in 2011. Locally produced flowers have become very popular with many Northern Ireland consumers and there are currently around 30 growers producing cut flowers and foliage for local, mainland UK and Republic of Ireland markets.

The association met recently at a workshop organised by CAFRE Cut Flower Development Adviser, David Davidson. Professor John Dole from North Carolina State University shared his vast range of experience and specialist knowledge on cut flower and foliage production and research within the USA and further afield and gave growers ideas for new cut flowers and foliages that could be grown in Northern Ireland.

Source: Farming Life - New NI Flower and Foliage Association Founded

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