FLORICULTURE AND PROTEAS IN ISRAEL

The floricultural industry for export started in Israel in the late 1960's. It is now the second largest horticultural industry for export in Israel totalling about 150 million US$.

Israel is the third on the list of flower exporting countries after the Netherlands and Colombia.

The following factors determine the importance and expansion of floriculture in Israel:

1. Local markets are saturated with all economically feasible goods, therefore expansion is possible only in export.
2. Main limiting factor in agricultural production is water and floriculture has a high return per unit of water.
3. Israel has a suitable climate for winter flower production.
4. Close distance to the large European markets.

In order to survive in the highly competitive world floricultural industry it is necessary to diversify our production. Proteas are part of this diversification effort.