The world of Customs Compliance is a necessary but often drop element of importing and export goods , especially when it comes to perishables like flowers , due to the mellow economic note value and the need to protect European flora and fauna .
For every bunch of flower bought at a supermarket , a dispatch has go through tight Customs and Phytosanitary checks to ensure safety and security , and the blooms would not reach the stores without Customs stave doing their job .
impertinent insightAmong those making the trip to Africa were Maaike van der Windt , Director Aviation Marketing , Cargo and Customer Experience at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol , who gained a passel from the experience .
“ It was really good to see the flower farms with my own oculus and to well understand them and to also see the impact of our Ideal Flowerbox concept , ” Maaike say .
Yme Pasma , Chief Operating Officer , Royal FloraHolland , was also on the trip to Kenya and said it gave him fresh penetration into the bloom market .
“ Everyone expects Africa to be behind when it make out to sustainability , but what we are view is they are more beforehand than their EU colleagues and more aware of the importance of a sustainable supplying chain , ” Yme said .
“ We take in that they are aware of saving water , implementing renewable DOE and also understand the importance of societal responsibility in regard to their workforces – which people in the Netherlands might not expect . ”
Community benefitsSome may ask how it is more sustainable to grow blossom in Africa and vaporize them back to Europe , rather than grow them at home base , but the carbon step is in reality think to be low , as the sun is used alternatively of electricity in the growing process .
There are also broad sustainability benefits to growing heyday in Kenya , as growth of the Kenyan market is own a cocksure shock on local communities in Kenya and facilitate regional growing outside the flower industry .
Populations where flower farm are located benefit from increased employment , better education via investment in schools , access code to aesculapian treatment and facilities and doer are also often paid a honest than average local wage .
“ We chaffer a Fairtrade agriculturist where 10 % of the revenues go towards the community of interests and local residential area councils resolve where this money is spent ; they make up one’s mind to expend it on building a schooling while another grower has a minimum salary jacket crown in stead , ” Yme explicate .
Growth of the prime industry is driving regional development and straight help oneself local communities improve their lives .
“ It is not only about sustainable growth of the flower market and how we can reduce the carbon copy footprint of flowers , but it is also about the impact it is having on the maturation of local communities , ” Maaike noted .
“ The enlargement of the blossom market place is help communities improve their lives . ”
Ideal FlowerboxDuring the trip to Kenya , the steering commission were keen to get feedback about the Ideal Flowerbox – a novel promotional material conception – which is being formulate and tested by the supply range of mountains through a pilot program and now being implemented .
Feedback has been largely positive , and the concept has help oneself relinquish up 15 % more lading content for bloom on a exclusive aircraft .
Yme said the concept has wreak a number of sustainability benefits to the flower transportation supply mountain range .
More flowers can be box in one box , more boxes can be load on to pallet , and less flowers are being damage , which in turning has reduced the amount of flower waste in the Netherlands .
“ Now the challenge is to scale up the Ideal Flowerbox , as airline and cargo handlers have proven it can be done and it has benefits , ” Maaike say .
“ We now need to make the shippers and heyday farms to take it on by show them the benefits as they are still a little hesitant .
“ We need to go from a pilot stage of the Ideal Flowerbox to a permanent stage this year . ”
Track and traceAlongside maturation of the Ideal Flowerbox , the HFA is wreak on another opening to make the prime transportation supply mountain chain more sustainable and effective .
A track and trace digital pecker is being developed to give shippers full visibleness of the journey of flower shipment - which the HFA is aiming to roll out sometime this year .
“ The more we can track and trace throughout the supplying Ernst Boris Chain the better we can guarantee quality throughout the freight process . It is about making the chain as efficient and diaphanous as possible , ” said Maaike .
“ The aim is for a supply mountain range where everyone benefits , ” Yme take note . “ It is about optimising processes and we have to improve the entire supply Sir Ernst Boris Chain , as if we operate on our own , it will not be efficient .
“ The more efficient processes are , the better the quality will be , and the blossom market will grow and by operate together we can make a unspoilt and more sustainable supply strand . ”
The HFA is also count to measure out the total amount of C emissions give out during the entire journey of bloom shipment , from the cultivator decent through to the seller , to give further perceptivity and a better discernment of the transportation Sir Ernst Boris Chain .
For more information : Schipholwww.schiphol.nl
