Association for matching between Supply and Demand in flowers（FMA): A proposal of new standardization
OTA Floriculture Auction organized “Association for Matching between supply and demand in Flowers (FMA)” together with 40 supply-chain partners including growers’ cooperatives, wholesalers, flower-processing companies and retailers from all over Japan. New standards (“Smart-flower standards”) have been formulated to promote distribution of Japanese domestic cut flowers which can match with the actual usage of flower-processing companies (bouquets maker). Associate partners of FMA cooperate to implement the plan, and hopes that their activity will eventually contribute to strengthening international competitiveness of Japanese domestic cut flowers and to increasing profitability of cultivation among Japanese growers.
In recent years, a share of sales from retailers increases more and more, who handle ready-made bouquets. The trend goes in tandem with the development of “regular-price products” by diversification of selling styles. In addition, there have been changes in demand for items and required standards of flowers used in funerals. However, the current situation of domestic flower production and supply-chain cannot cover those changes. These mismatches are causing confusions at markets.
In order to solve these problems, we OTA Floriculture Auction, as the largest flower wholesale market in Japan, have established FMA participated by growers’cooperatives, wholesalers, flower-processing companies and retailers. All flower supply-chain partners join forces toward this issue, and try to have an agreement for the common policy of production and sales to meet final consumers’ demand.
And this time, FMA announced new standards for basic assortment of cut flowers, after a number of discussions and verifications. FMA positions those new standards as standards for expansion of domestic flower cultivation, improvement of growers’net income, activation of retailers, and expansion plus cultivation of flower consumption under stable supply. That is because FMA believes such an effort will contribute to expansion of stable production and distribution of cut flowers targeted at processing companies who know the actual usage of retailers.
Interpreted by Y. Fuchu
