Beijing's fresh flower markets are blossoming again as the entire city becomes immersed in festivities in the run-up to Spring Festival, the most important holiday in China, that begins this year on February 9.

Local growers alone have prepared 6 million potted plants for the holiday season, 50 percent more than last year, said a spokesman for the Beijing Municipal Forestry Bureau. "Contrary to its tradition of buying flowers from the south, Beijing will sell flowers to some southern provinces and cities this year," the spokesman said.

Thanks to the increased output and diversity of flowers within the city itself, Beijing will import fewer plants, which it expects to make up only 10 percent of its total supply.

Many Beijingers have included fresh flowers in their shopping lists when they stock up for the lunar New Year, as a bouquet of fresh flowers is in vogue for home decoration and makes an ideal gift for friends and relatives.

Flower markets

As a result, the eight major flower markets in Beijing are drawing more customers every day. The local forestry bureau predicts more than 10 million potted flowers in 500 varieties will be sold during the pre-holiday shopping spree between now and New Year's Eve, excluding bouquets and floral baskets that will involve an additional 100 million stems of fresh flowers at least.

The national capital has 215 major flower growers that together cover up more than 3,000 hectares and produce some 70 million stems of fresh flowers and 35 million potted plants each year. Their annual output adds up to 670 million yuan (US$80 million).

(China Daily January 17, 2005)