Can Egypt's floral industry bloom in whole region?
Egypt’s spring flower exhibition, the oldest in the region, unites flower producers with the public but the sector is eager to go beyond borders.
The Orman Botanical Garden in Giza turns into a giant flower show in late March every year. Sweet-smelling jasmine shrubs, huge sunflowers, aromatic herbs and minuscule succulents are put on display in an area of 14 feddans (14.5 acres) during the 45-day exhibition that aims to showcase, motivate and support the country’s flower producers.
The 86th edition of the exhibition was opened March 21 by Agriculture and Land Reclamation Minister Ezz el-Din Abu Steit, with some 180 Egyptian and Arab producers displaying their flowers and plants. One million visitors are expected to tour the premises this year, the minister said.
The exhibition, the oldest and biggest flower show in the Middle East, aims to spread the culture of ornamental plants and flowers in Egyptian society and beyond, Abu Steit noted.
Speaking to Al-Monitor, Khaled el-Sayed, the chairman of Blooms Company, said the exhibition is one of the industry's major annual events. His company exhibits a large selection of indoor and outdoor plants, fruit trees, seeds and gardening supplies. Blooms Company also showcases diverse medicinal and aromatic herbs and plants.
