Representatives from eight Flemish tree nurseries traveled to Galicia in late September for a three-day trade mission. During about ten company visits, they got to know the local tree nursery industry exchanged market information, and explored potential business relationships with Spanish colleagues.

On the Flemish side, participants included Allaert Nurseries, BOWECO, Boomkwekerij Marc De Raeve, Groenrijk Van Damme, Plant Select, Plantura, Sylva Nurseries, and Willy De Nolf. The program was organised in collaboration with Asvinor, the federation of the Galician tree nursery industry.

From local producers to export companies
The visits revealed a sector with diverse business profiles. In addition to nurseries that primarily produce for the regional and Spanish markets, Galicia is also home to larger players with a strong focus on imports and exports. The differences are also significant in terms of scale, product range, and quality standards.

A significant concentration of professional nursery stock growers is located in southern Galicia, in the region near the Portuguese border. Climatic conditions play a key role in this. The relatively mild and humid climate provides good growing conditions for a wide range of trees, shrubs, and ornamental plants.

Increased importance of Belgian nursery stock products in the Spanish market 
At present, nursery products are already being traded between Belgium and Spain. Furthermore, trade figures show that Spain is importing an increasing amount of nursery products from Belgium. In 2025, the value reached nearly 4 million euros, giving Belgium a 12% market share and third place on the list of suppliers (after the Netherlands and Italy).

From a Belgian perspective, VLAM also sees the Spanish market’s importance for the sale of nursery products growing. Spain currently ranks sixth among Belgium’s export markets for nursery products. This primarily involves fruit trees, but sales of other nursery products to Spain are also on the rise.

VLAM hopes that this trade mission will contribute to further growth in trade between Flemish and Galician—and, by extension, Spanish—nursery growers. The possibility of a delegation of Galician nursery growers visiting Flanders in the future for a return visit to maintain the established contacts is also being explored.

Source: VLAM