1998 Annual Report for FS98-077
Test Marketing and Financial Analysis of Fresh Cut Flowers
Summary
Information about the economics and marketing of fresh cut flowers is not always available to small and part-time farmers who are considering establishment of fresh cut flower enterprises. When beginning growers attempt commercial production of fresh cut flowers, they often have to discover this information for themselves.
The producer plans to provide information about the economics and marketing of twelve species of fresh cut flowers through a case study of one small-scale commercial operation. He will gather and disseminate information about the following aspects of a fresh cut flower business.
A. All costs of production including land, labor, machinery operation, storage and supplies;
B. production yields for twelve species of fresh cut flowers;
C. all marketing costs including packing, transportation, promotion and sales;
D. grading standards and procedures for each of the twelve cut flower species;
E. price sensitivity for each of the twelve species within both retail and wholesale markets;
F. marketing procedures used to accomplish both retail and wholesale sales;
G. actual gross income and net income earned from each of the twelve flower species.
The species to be grown and sold will include gladiolus, asters, annual statice, liatris, gypsophila, tall phlox, yarrow, Asiatic lilies, celosia, zinnias, German statice and lavender. The information on the production and marketing of these species will be made available to other farmers throughout the Southern Region.