Lily vendors face tough competition

A TRADITIONAL sprig of lily of the valley on May 1 will cost 5% more than last year as producers fight to bring in revenue despite falling demand.

Stands selling muguet will spring up all over France tomorrow morning - the only day of the year when some local authorities turn a blind eye to unlicensed street trade.

Flower producers' union Oniflhor says the average price for a pot of three brins de muguet will be in the region of €2.25 to €2.45 this year.

The area around Nantes has 130 companies that produce the majority of France's muguet, employing 7,000 seasonal workers for the two-week operation picking 40 million sprigs.

Last year, the business brought in €25m in one day - but sales have fallen by about 15% every year for the past three years.

According to Le Parisien, the decline has happened because France is facing international competition.
Berlin has become a big lily producer in recent years and more than four million sprigs were sold online last year for delivery to France.