During 2018, Croatia imported 1,797 tonnes of cut flowers, and the value of this import stood at € 9.9 million, thus rising by 19.5% in comparison to 2017, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) has reported.

The lion’s share of the imports came from the Netherlands, 1,687 tonnes worth € 9.1 million. The HGK explains this with the largest trade on the Amsterdam flower market.

The flower imports from Slovenia weighing 45 tonnes cost €435,000 in 2018. Germany was the third biggest exporter of flowers to Croatia, 32 tonnes worth €153,000.

In 2017, Croatia imported 1,555 tonnes of cut flowers and the worth of those imports stood at EUR 8.3 million, dropping by 8.5% in comparison to 2016.

Roses most imported flowers

Broken by type of flowers, roses were the most imported flowers last year, with 789 tonnes worth €4.8 million. Chrysanthemums followed, 196 tonnes worth €981,000.

Croatia’s share in the flower production in the European Union stands at a mere 0.5%.

Currently, flowers are grown on only 300 hectares, which is not sufficient to cover domestic needs.

At the end of October and at the beginning of November, when Croatia observes All Saints’ Day, November 1, as a public holiday, many Croatians visit cemeteries to lay flowers and light candles on graves of their family members and friends.

Therefore, the import of flowers increases every October by about 50 tonnes, and chrysanthemums are on demand. Thus, in 2018 Croatia’s imports of grave candles and lanterns increased to more than 3,188 tonnes, worth € 6.7 million.

In the first seven months of this year, Croatia imported 1,079 tonnes of grave lanterns, worth € 2.5 million.

The main countries that import candles to Croatia are Poland and Germany.

On the other hand, Croatia’s exports of candles totalled 1,067 tonnes, worth €2.3 million, last year.

In the first seven months of 2019, the exports reached 241 tonnes in the value of €605,000. The main markets for Croatia’s candle exports are Hungary and Slovenia.