Copyright 2008 Accademia dei Georgofili
Sicily’s wonderful climate does not just make it an excellent tourist destination; it is also responsible for the development of a healthy agriculture industry in the region. Greenhouse farms allow Sicily to produce prized ornamental plants and cut flowers. Sicily represents 11 percent of Italy’s gross sales of these products. In Marsala, the Province of Trapani, 300 businesses operate in the floriculture industry. The most important area of Marsala’s floricultural production is the cultivation of ornamental plants, specifically Kentia, Chamaedorea, Poinsettia, Palmae and potted Mediterranean plants that are sold all over Europe. Greenhouse farming also produces cut flowers. Individual cut flower farms, averaging 5000 m2, are small by international standards, but highly profitable. The expertise of the farmers contributes to the high quality and wide variety of cut flowers. These include roses, gerbera, carnations, gypsophila, lilium and gladiolus. Most flowers are sold by the individual growers directly to buyers in two flower auctions: “Florabella” and “Il Contadino”. In the Florabella auction house two clocks (one dedicated especially for roses and the second for other flowers) run twice a week on a Monday and Wednesday. Annual turnover is € 8 million with the categories of products sold dominated by cut roses (60%). Products sold are primarily for the Sicilian market and, during the cold weather seasons for the northern markets.
