A famous artist once said, \u2018buy me a rose,\u2019 but what if they run out of roses at the store, what do you buy then, Itembusha?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the current issue faced by the majority of Zambians less than 24hrs before Valentine\u2019s Day. But how did we come to this, and why is this the case this year? Let\u2019s take a little deep dive and explore this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First is the Why. Why do we currently have a shortage of red roses in Zambia? According to some florists that graciously took time out of the busy schedule, the Suppliers have been exporting a majority of the Red Rose flower stock to international countries that are also celebrating Valentine\u2019s Day without regard for the local market. This is because with the export comes Forex and if countries like Holland offer better deals, who\u2019s to stop the Suppliers from making the decision to export all their stock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secondly, is the What. And while we\u2019re on the subject of the economy, what is the cost of supplying and providing the red rose flower stock to the local market as compared to the international market? Unfortunately, the Suppliers could not give us an accurate estimate of the cost but in relation to the profits of exporting versus the profits of selling to the local market, a significant amount. With the current shift in the economic environment, the depreciation of the kwacha and the rising cost of fuel, Suppliers are looking to maximize on their profits as much as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thirdly, is the When. When did this problem start? As early as late last week. Suppliers had begun sending their stock out of the country, bulk orders were being fulfilled, flowers and money were changing hands, and the local florists were snubbed in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fourth, is the Where. Where can one get flowers now? If you are lucky and your wallet can handle the pressure, supermarkets as well as the high-end florists with particularly good connections and relationships with the Growers\/Suppliers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And finally, is the Who. Who are the parties most affected by this conundrum? Well, you, the ordinary person, as well as the SME florists and even, some widely recognised florists with a prominent name in the game. Profits according to the florists spoken to are expected to not be as good as the year before (2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The florists have banded together to form a collective, the National Florists Association of Zambia, with the hopes that they can engage the suppliers\/growers as a whole and come to an amicable conclusion that satisfies both parties. But what do you think? Do you already have an alternative to red roses? Let us know in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By Nenani Nyalugwe<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A famous artist once said, \u2018buy me a rose,\u2019 but what if they run out of roses at the store, what do you buy then, Itembusha? This is the current issue faced by the majority of Zambians less than 24hrs before Valentine\u2019s Day. But how did we come to this, and why is this the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[482],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n