Van Zanten Flowerbulbs B.V.
FAX - MESSAGE
==========================================================
Date:
7-8-2006
Dear customer,
Herewith we would like to inform you about tulips situation crop 2006.
At this moment we received almost 80% of the tulip bulbs, we have to
wait for app. 20%, compared crop 2005 same date we received app. 10% less.
For Plastic and Early tulips we have received all lots.
We will inform you soon the summarize of the plastic tulips and we also
will inform you our stock / shortage list of plastic tulips.
Crop 2006 tulips:
Planting condition for crop 2006 (last fall) was very good and all
growers could finish planting in time.
We had a mild but long winter and week by week bulbs get some rain and
the circumstances where nice.
Due to the long winter spring started late and influenced the flowering
time for especially the botanical and early type tulips (Single Early). Picking
the flower for those groups was delayed for about 1 week to 10 day’s.
Picking off the flower for middle (Triumph) and late varieties (Double
and Double Late) we could NOT see so much delay due to weather change. End of
April beginning of May we got a hot period. This years flowering time of early flowering tulips middle flowering and
late flowering tulips was almost all at the same time. Growers where very busy
for the selection and picking the flower this was rather unusual and unique
situation.
Average soil temperature per month; 10cm below field:
|
Month |
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
2003 |
|
Februari |
4,3 |
4 |
5,2 |
1,6 |
|
March |
4,8 |
6,3 |
5,9 |
6,8 |
|
April |
10,1 |
11,1 |
11,5 |
9,7 |
|
May |
14,3 |
14,1 |
15,2 |
14,6 |
|
June |
16,9 |
16,1 |
18,2 |
19,1 |
From the beginning of May we had a long dry period. Growers had to
irrigate the field often, also at the end of the growing season in June we had
again a long dry period. Some growers even had to irrigate just before lifting
to make the soil limp and to prevent damage the bulbs.
Light intensity (hours of sunlight) was higher than average year and
this will have a positive influence on the inside power and energy of the bulbs.
In general we can say enlargement crop 2006 is less than expected. The
time of dying and maturing of the bulbs is not so different compared other
years. Growing period was rather short due to the late picking off the flower but normal time of lifting.
This caused that enlargement is less than expected and we received a
lot of letters from grower that they cannot deliver full quantity which they
have sold. For the enlargement we can see big difference between growers; some
growers can just deliver full quantity which they have sold and there crop is
rather normal; other grower who have or could maybe irrigate not so often their
crop is much less than expected.
Skin quality is normal to good. The bulb growth was somewhat irregular due
many times of irrigating and skin get some small cracks, the colour of the skin
is more dark than years before, bulbs matured in the soil rather easy and more
quick than grower could lift. Due to the tropical weather in June (almost 2
weeks more than 30 degree C) the bulbs matured very equally.
Also by this reason growers lifted first all the bulbs before they
started to peel and grade. Most of the grower had a big stock in there
warehouses for quit long time this year and it was impossible to control the
temperature between 20 to 23 (outside temperature higher than 30 degree C and
even night time not lower than 20 degree C). This situation will have influence
on the development of stage G which will slow down by such high temperatures.
This mean that we expect delay of planting week (1 week to 10 day’s), we will
inform you first off all the plastic tulips and than early tulips etc. but
please notice that planting week can be delayed.
The development of the sprout this year equal and we cannot find big differences
of stage within 1 lot.
Due to the hot climate and the late irrigation and rain this year we
can see some times higher percentage of fusarium this year.
We already received some lots which are infected by fusarium, such lot
we send back to the grower. Due to such reason some shortage can occur and we
will inform you variety by variety.
Regarding price development we have to inform you that prices are still
step by step going up.
Prices are now 25 to 30% higher than before and availability is
becoming limited in many varieties.
Sometimes when we get shortage information from grower we have to buy
or much higher price is bulbs are still available or we have to offer
substitute when variety is sold out.
We hope and trust we informed you well and if you need any more details
or more information please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kindest regards,
Van Zanten Flowerbulbs B.V.