The Netherlands Partner Country at Mexico’s Ornamental Plants & Flowers Expo 2021
The Netherlands will be Partner Country of the Ornamental Plants & Flowers (OPF) Expo, which will be held for the second time in Mexico from 17 to 19 November 2021 in Mexico-City. Dutch companies interested in the Mexican ornamental sector are invited to participate in the Netherlands pavilion, which will be center stage at this year’s show. Around the show, field trips will be organized to plants and flower farms around Mexico-City for companies to get a better idea of the Mexican ornamental sector.
On November 17th - 19th the second Ornamental, Plants and Flowers Mexico 2021 Expo (OPF) will take place in Mexico City. OPF, a spin-off of IPM Essen - the world’s leading ornamental plants and flowers trade fair -, focuses on the floriculture sector in Mexico, including Plants & Flowers, Innovation & Technology, Landscaping and Gardening and, Floral Design & Flower Shops. Through the alliance with IPM Essen, OPF aims at becoming a Latin American hotspot of the ornamental plants and flower sector.
A large but unexploited sector
Mexico has the world’s third largest production area dedicated to ornamentals (23.088 hectares). Mexicans are also avid consumers of plants & flowers. Partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its online flower sales increased around 64% in 2020. Perhaps because its domestic market is so attractive, Mexico’s opportunities in the US and Canadian ornamental plants and flowers markets are however still unexploited, despite the proximity and the opportunities offered by the USMCA – the new North American Trade Agreement – and the proximity of these markets. Mexico’s ornamental exports to the US amounted to € 41M in 2019, representing only 2.06% of the total US ornamental imports; exports to Canada amounted to only € 2.6M, representing just 1.79% of Canada’s total ornamental imports. These opportunities in the US and Canadian markets have mostly been exploited by Colombia & Ecuador, despite’s Mexico’s competitive advantages over Colombia and Ecuador in terms of labor and transport costs: Monthly labor costs in Colombia & Ecuador are about $ 550 USD per field worker and $ 2,50 USD transport costs/kg via air route, whereas in Mexico labor costs are around $350 USD and transport costs $ 0,25 / kg via land route. Many people believe these cost advantages cannot be ignored forever.
Netherlands Partner Country
Dutch knowledge, experience & technology is well known and valued in Mexico’s ornamental sector. The Netherlands has positioned itself as Mexico’s main supplier of flowers bulbs, with an export value of almost € 25M of flower bulbs in 2019. These are just a few reasons why The Netherlands will be this year’s OPF Partner Country. As a partner country, The Netherlands will have its own pavilion at the center of the exposition floor. At this pavilion, Dutch Companies will be able to display their products and knowledge and network with potential business partners.
The Netherlands Embassy in Mexico will also organize a Circular Agriculture forum as a side event, to showcase Dutch experiences in Circular Agriculture, highlighting circular innovations from Dutch horticulture companies and the latest in circular agriculture research from Wageningen University. A network reception with Mexican authorities, partners and companies will also be hosted by the Netherlands Embassy.
Field Trips
In the margins of the exposition a field trip will be organized to plants and flower growers around Mexico-City, providing an opportunity to get to know the reality of Mexican plants and flower farms.
Are you interested in joining the OPF trade show, as part of the Netherlands pavilion, or with a stand-along booth or as a visitor, would you like to know more about prices, or do you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact the agricultural team of the Netherlands Embassy in Mexico at mex-lnv@minbuza.nl