On 22 February, the Associazione Nazionale Vivaisti Esportatori and the Associazione Vivaisti Italiani at Myplant & Garden signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly promote the development and appreciation of Italian and European nurseries.

The president of the exporters' organisation ANVE Pagliani called it important to tackle together the problems of ornamental horticulture , which are of European level." The president of AVI Michelucci noted with satisfaction that with the accession to ENA, all Italian nurseries are now represented in Europe". The two associations will also join forces in dialogue with Italian institutions to protect the interests of ornamental nurseries.

The objective of this agreement mentioned in the declaration of intent is: "Converge towards common objectives, according to criteria of reciprocity, for the coordinated implementation of activities aimed at the development and valorisation of the ornamental horticulture sector". 

The declaration was signed on Thursday, 22 February, at the Fiera Milano-Rho, on the occasion of the 8th edition of the green fair Myplant & Garden, by the Associazione Nazionale Vivaisti Esportatori (ANVE), a network, founded in 2006, of ornamental plant growers at national level representing and supporting the sector in Italy and abroad, and Associazione Vivaisti Italiani (AVI), an association made up of 220 members (most of whom are nurserymen in the ornamental plant district of Pistoia, the largest in Italy.

This can undoubtedly be called a historic signing, as it establishes for once, after a long time, a joining of forces and intentions between fundamental parts of the Italian ornamental horticulture sector, which has traditionally been particularly prone to fragmentation of representation.

Main goals

The "main goals" of the agreement, which has a two-year duration, include sharing strategies, actions and interventions with the aim of proposing "a serious and credible representation" at the ENA (European Nursery Association); realising joint initiatives "intended to contribute to the progress of the ornamental horticulture sector" promoting "cooperation with the research community" to encourage "publications, meetings, discussions, scientific and technical initiatives, experiences and research related to the sector"; adopting "experimental and innovative projects" that may include "the programming and planning of joint activities".  

Gesture

This agreement follows a gesture made a few months ago by ANVE - which has been a member of ENA for many years, as well as the world floriculture association AIPH (Association of Horticultural Producers) - to AVI with an invitation to the latter to join ENA, where Italian arboriculture represents one of the largest plant-producing countries in Europe. This invitation was accepted by AVI and made official last January at IPM Essen with the accession of Alessandro Mangoni to ENA as AVI's representative.  

"We realised we had to go there together to support and revitalise the Italian nursery sector in Europe", sais Pagliani. " It is important to face together all the problems of the nursery sector that we face every day, which are not only local, but affect the whole Italian and European nursery sector.

 AVI president Alessandro MicheP calls the market increasingly difficult.  'We are faced with countries where there are no rules and therefore we have to be able to react in unison. This is why I believe that our determination, combined with that of Luigi and his staff, will ensure that Italy will speak with one voice, perhaps first among themselves, but then with one message, which will be that of the Italian nursery industry.Both organiations will also have joint activities, possibly also projects for European funding.