Green Industry Supply Chain Update: Transportation Webinar, and a Plant Shortage Report
July 25, 2021 
Booming floral demand, including for everyday flowers, is a bright spot for the mass-market floral industry. However, the pandemic and greater demand have led to a transportation crisis, from land to sea to air.
This crisis, expected to last for some time, means retail planning horizons need to expand to a year in advance. It also means buyer-seller collaboration is more important than ever.
To help the industry address such a significant impact, the Produce Marketing Association will hold a webinar on Aug. 5 titled “New Demand Creates Floral Transportation Crisis.”
The goal of the webinar is to build awareness, share information, review trends and data, and provide a forum for discussion.
Registration for the webinar is now available here.
2021 Plant Shortage Report Released by GoMaterials
In related news on supply chain concerns, Landscape material marketplace GoMaterials has released a report detailing the severity of the 2021 plant shortages, aimed at helping the industry map the impact across the U.S. South. Based on proprietary sourcing data from thousands of landscaping jobs, the report includes information on specific sizes, plant species, and pricing trends impacted by the shortages. As per the data in the report, plants and trees currently in short supply are selling for on-average 20% higher prices compared to last year.
Plant shortages in recent years have been exacerbated due to the simultaneous effects of COVID-19, extreme weather events, and changing consumer preferences. GoMaterials’ 2021 report explores the role played by the twin effects of the pandemic restrictions as well as the Texas Snowstorm.
“Most of the wholesale suppliers and landscapers that we work with have been impacted by the shortages, and lack of information on the exact details about sizes, species in short supply, and pricing is adding to the confusion. This report is our way of helping our friends and coworkers from the industry” says Marc Elliott, CEO of GoMaterials.
“More than 60% of industry partners we spoke to expect the shortages to persist for at least two years” Elliott says. “GoMaterials is constantly evaluating the situation by working closely with our nursery partners to build awareness and more efficient supply channels.”
Landscaping companies can now download the report to learn more about items and sizes in short supply, pricing increase trends and substitution alternatives. The new report also helps wholesale nurseries benchmark their prices based on the data in the report.
The full report by GoMaterials is now available for a free download on their website here.
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