“2nd International Workshop on Invasive Plants in the Mediterranean Type Regions of the World” was held in Trabzon between 2-6 August 2010. The Workshop was co organized by Council of Europe, European Environment Agency, Turkish Republic Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Igdır University.

As it is known, the world horticultural expo is going to be held in Antalya in 2016. While the preparatory works for Expo 2016 Antalya is processing, the national participation of Turkey in Floriade 2012 is advanced.

In regards to Turkish participation in Floriade, Turkish officials visited Venlo / the Netherlands on 10 August 2010. The Turkish delegation was composed of the officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Antalya Ornamental Plants and Products Exporters Union. The delegation met Floriade officials, selected a 1.000m2 of Turkish garden area and signed the participation protocol.

By the way, Antalya Ornamental Plants and Products Exporters Union is authorized as the coordinator of Turkish participation in Floriade.

Following the decision of AIPH to reserve the year 2016 for Antalya in order to organize an A1 level botanical Expo, officials from the Union visited Antalya. Between 10th-13th December 2009, AIPH President Doeke Faber and the Secretary General Sjaak Langeslag analyzed the preparations of Expo 2016 Antalya and hold official talks with the representatives of Expo 2016 Antalya Assembly.

Expo Antalya 2016 Executive Board Members accompanied AIPH officials all along the program. At the beginning, Antalya Governer Mr. Alâaddin YÜKSEL and the Mayor Prof. Dr. Mustafa AKAYDIN were visited in the morning of 11th December 2009. After than there had been a meeting at Antalya Exporter Unions General Secretariat. The main topics of the meeting were: the ornamental plants sector in Turkey and the agricultural sector of Antalya, presented respectively by the officials of Antalya Exporter Unions General Secretariat and the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Agriculture. In the afternoon session of the day, Expo Assembly Meeting was hold with the participation of AIPH officials. In the evening, a gala dinner was organized for the honor of AIPH President and the Secretary General.

On 12th December 2009, an export oriented company was visited by the AIPH officials to be able to make an analyze of the production areas in Antalya. The rest of the day was full of cultural visits aiming to give a perspective of Antalya to the AIPH officials. Antalya Old City and the Aspendos Theatre were visited, in which Mr. Faber and Mr. Langeslag were charmed. The President and the Secretary General of AIPH expressed their pleasures before traveling back to the Netherlands on 13th October 2009, early in morning.

Union Fleurs General Assembly was held on 17th October in the coastal city of the Netherlands: Noordwijk aan Zee and Antalya Cut Flower Exporters Union was among the participants.

Right after the General Assembly, a special seminar about the future of international flower trade had been conducted. Panelists from Colombia, Germany, Holland and Kenya made detailed presentations and all the participants had shared their views about the future of the sector.

At the last stage of the program a special “Gala Dinner” had been organized for the 50th anniversary celebration. Mr. Emil Steffek and Ben ter Haar were declared as the Honorary Presidents of Union Fleurs at this special celebrating day.

Antalya Cut Flower Exporters Union participated in Hortifair 2009 with a 80m2 specially decorated stand. The main Turkish export products like carnations, gerberas, gypsophilas, greens, ranunculus, anemones, lilies, chrysanthemums and wreaths were exhibited in our stand. Our stand had been graded 8.80 by the Hortifair jury.

All along the 4 days exhibition, our stand had been visited by more than 1.000 professionals. Also the “Traditional Turkish Cocktail,” on 14th October in our stand, had attracted a great deal of attention and more than 150 people had shared these exciting moments.

Antalya Cut Flower Exporters Union participateed in the Annual Congress of AIPH-International Association of Horticultural Producers whaich was held in Zaragoza/Spain between 12-17 September 2009.

In the Congress, Expo Antalya 2016 has been scheduled by the AIPH and the official process fort he organizastion has began.

The Board Meeting of Union Fleurs was hold in San Remo/Italy in 27th June 2009. Mr. Osman Bağdatlıoğlu, president of Antalya Cut Flower Exporters Union, attended to the meeting as the vice-president of UF.

Union Fleurs’ (UF) Spring Meeting was held in Morooco between 26th – 30th March 2009. Antalya Cut Flower Exporters Union was there to represent Turkey. The Board meeting of the UF was conducted on 26th March in Casablanca. Mr. Osman Bağdatlıoğlu, president of Antalya Cut Flower Exporters Union, attended to the meeting as the vice-president of UF.

General Assembly of Union Fleurs was held in Sanremo, Italy, in 18-20th October, 2008. 35 participants from different member countries including Turkey were present at the meeting. The new board od directors were elected in the General Asembly where Sandro CEPOLLINA from ANCEF /Italy was elected as President and Osman BAĞDATLIOĞLU from Antalya Exporter Unions/ Turkey was elected as Vice President. Union Fleurs is the only international organization in the floricultural trade. Members are representative national organisations in the floricultural trade. Turkey became a member of Union Fleurs in 2005.

General Secretariat of Antalya Exporter Unions participated in Horti Fair 2008 Exhibition, held on 14-17 October 2008 at RAI Exhibition Center in Amsterdam/ HOLLAND. Our stand was among national entries in Hall 8. Our stand was visited by more than 2.000 trade visitors from different countries. Mr. Selahattin ALPAR, Ambassador of Turkey in Netherlands; Mrs. Esen Altuğ, Consul General of Turkey in Rotterdam and Mr. Bünyamin KUTLU, Commercial Counsellor of Turkey also visited our stand. Hortifair is the biggest annual international exhibition for flowers and plants in Europe. The exhibition was visited by approximately 48.000 international visitors from different countries including professionals, wholesalers, retailers and florists. There were 900 participants from 49 countries. The range of displayed products in the exhibition included flowers, plants and agricultural technologies.

General Secretariat for Antalya Exporter Unions participated in “Agro Mashov 2008- 18. International Exhibition of Agricultural Technology & Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers Marketing”, in Tel-Aviv/Israel with a 20 m2 info stand.

The Agro Mashov 2008, one of the Israel’s greatest annual international agriculture exhibition, was held on January 9-10, 2008 at the Israel Trade Fairs and Convention Center

2008 Flower Festival was held on 16th- 18th May in Antalya. Festival was organized with the cooperation of Antalya Exporter Unions General Secretariat, Municipality of Kepez and Antalya Exchange of Commerce. Having celebrated every year since 2005, festival has become a traditional event in national level.
Festival program including parade, competitions, flower shows and concerts attracted thousands of visitors. The most important part of the festival was the flower floats. Festival continued with a flower arrangement competition and concerts.
Festival aims to introduce Turkish cut flower industry both in the domestic and international market.

Antalya Exporter Unions General Secretariat participated to the spring meeting of Union Fleurs. Mr Osman BAĞDATLIOĞLU, Chairman of the Antalya Cut Flower Exporters Union, represented the Union in the meeting which was hold in Vienna in 11th and 12th April 2008.

Turkish delegates participating in IPM Dubai 2008 Exhibition, visited Dubai Flower Centre, the new logistical centre located in Dubai International Airport. The delegates were informed about the system and the facilities of DFC

General Secretariat of Antalya Exporter Unions participated in “IPM Dubai 2008- 3rd International Plants Exhibition”, held on March 4-6, 2008 at Airport Expo Hall in Dubai/ UAE. Turkish stand was visited by many trade visitors from different countries.

2007 Flower Festival was held on 17th- 18th May in Antalya. Festival was organized with support of Antalya Exporter Unions, Municipality of Kepez, Antalya Exchange of Commerce and ALTINSIAD. Having celebrated every year since 2005, festival has become a traditional event in town.

Festival program including parade, competitions, flower shows and concerts attracted more than three thousand visitors. The most important part of the festival was the flower floats. Festival continued with a flower arrangement competition and concerts.

Festival aims to introduce Turkish cut flower industry both in the domestic and international market.

Spring Meeting of Union Fleurs was held in Rixos Hotel-Antalya on 27th -28th April 2007. 22 participants from 11 member countries including Sweden, Austria, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Israel, Morocco, Ecuador and Turkey were present at the meeting.

EC report of cut flowers, EU plant health regulations, sustainable development in cut flower sector and FFP Labels were the main topics discussed in the meeting. After the meetings, flower production places were visited and the participants were informed about the Turkish cut flower industry.

Union Fleurs, established in Brussels in 1959 is the International Floricultural Trade Association working for the interest in the world trade of floricultural products. Union Fleurs has members in 23 countries world wide. Turkey became a member of the organization in 2005.

Turkish companies participating in the Hortifair 2006 Exhibition in Amsterdam, visited VBA, the biggest flower auction of Europe, in Aalsmeer.

Jeanet van Schagen, VBA represantative for Turkey, informed the group about the system of the auction. Auction clocks, packaging facilities and cold stores in the auction were visited by the companies.

As Jeanet van Schagen told, 20 companies in Turkey are working with VBA at the moment and main products sent to the auction are carnations, gerbera, gypsophilla, greens and wreaths.

General Assembly of Union Fleurs was held in Quito, in 6th-9th October, 2006. Participants from 21 member countries including Turkey were present at the meeting.

In General Assembly, Union Fleurs elections of the board took place where Emil Steffek from Austria was re-elected as president. EU plant health regulations, EU road transport developments, EC report of cut flowers and FFP Flower Labels were the main topics discussed in the meeting.

Agriflor 2006 Exhibition and some production places in Quito were visited within the agenda of the meeting.

A seminar was held in Antalya Exporter Unions for introducing the VBA flower auction and its function to Turkish producers on 25th April, 2006.

Dick Van DAM, Jeanet Van SCHAGEN and Joop VOORVELD participated to the seminar as speakers from VBA. In the seminar, Turkish producers and exporters were informed of the system of VBA, products sold in the auction, membership, costs, quality of the products, developments in floricultural sector and new varieties. The advantages and disadvantages of Turkey as a competitor in the flower sector were also discussed in the meeting.

Main goal of the seminar was to establish good business relations between VBA auction and Turkish producers. The seminar had been a good opportunity for Turkish producers for learning the advantages of marketing their products through VBA.

Van DAM, international account manager of VBA said: “There are 20 companies from Antalya working with VBA at the moment. And these are good examples leading for the other producers. Cooperation is very important in the market. I believe, Turkish producers can be successful as suppliers to the VBA.”

In order to encourage producers to produce healthy and qualified products for export market, General Secreatriat of Antalya Exporter Unions organised 3rd Competition of Quality Tomatoes For Export Market, content of Growtech Eurasia 2007 fair. Tomates participated the competition was elavulated in accordance with colour, tougness, sorting, charm, taste, aroma, hormon values, PH values and Brix values by Jury and Laben Agricultural Analysis laboratory. The five tomatoes having the highest points have been made residue analysis by Interlab Food Laboratory. Winners of the competition were awarded by Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Mr. Eker on 6th December 2007 after opening the fair.

Inorder to provide a forum for a fruit and vegetable industry discussion on the latest industry and legistative develeopments concerning pesticide residues, and to provide an opportunity to discuss the association’s position in respnse to recent develeopments Freshfel orgasnized a meeting of the Pesticide Residue Working Group on 28 June 2006. Antalya Exporter Unions attend that meeting.