Van Belle Nursery Among Finalists for International Grower of the Year

Costa Farms

Costa Farms, the 2016 Head Grower of the Year

The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) has announced nine finalists for its 2018 International Grower of the Year Awards. This year’s slate of finalists includes ornamentals growers from Canada, China, Colombia, Israel, and The Netherlands.

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This year’s finalists are:
• AYURÁ SAS in Colombia
• Holla Roses BV in Ethiopia and The Netherlands
• JUB Holland (Jac. Uittenbogaard & Zonen ) in The Netherlands
• Kwekerij van Wijgerden VOF in The Netherlands
• Saidi-Ronen in Israel
• Ter Laak Orchids in The Netherlands
• Van Belle Nursery Inc. in Canada
• Yunnan Wei Jun Kai Landscaping Engineering Co. Ltd. in China
• Yunnan YinMore Flower Industry Co., Ltd. in China

There are three main award categories: Cut flowers and bulbs; Finished Plants and Trees; and Young Plants. Bronze, silver, and gold awards will be presented, where applicable, to each category. Each of the category winners will be judged for the overall International Grower of the Year. There are also two new categories this year for Sustainability and an Inspiring Business Award.

All of the winners will be announced on January 23, 2018, at the IPM Fairground in Essen. AIPH will host the awards in partnership with its Founding Partner, FloraCulture International; Headline Partner, Royal Flora Holland; and Event Partner, IPM Essen. Other sponsors include Bord Na Mona, Dümmen Orange, Florensis, MPS, Poppelman, and Rosso Group.

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This will be the first time in two years that a North American company (Van Belle Nursery) is among the finalists. In 2016, Florida-based Costa Farms was a finalist, and the overall winner, as well.

“It’s a very emotional ceremony and this prize is for our workers,” said Carlos Manuel Uribe, Managing Director of Flores El Capiro, during last year’s event when his company was announced as the 2017 International Grower of the Year.

Find out more about each of the finalists at Aiph.org/groweroftheyear.

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