ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE IN ARGENTINA

Estimated total production area of cut flowers and ornamental pot plants in 1988 was about 3,000 ha, and the numbers of farmer were 1,800 and 400, respectively. Main crops in cut flowers are spray chrysanthemun (89 million), carnation (83 million), rose (48 million), chrysanthemun (39 million) and gladiolus (33 million), and those five occupied about 70 % of total products carrying into the wholesale market at Buenos Aires in 1987/88.

Production of pot plants increases gradually, but most of them are not sold through wholesale market, so it is very difficult to grasp the situation.

The protected cultivation under structure was begun in 1925 by the japanese inmigrant. Standard size of structure is 6m x 40m and equipment used now are not so varied from at that time except utilization of polyethylene for covering. Electrical equipment including fan and heater are rarely used because an electricity bill is very expensive. The production area of structure in the suburbs of capital for cut flowers (rose, carnation, chrysanthemun, freesia, orchid, gypsophila, etc) is 200 ^-260 ha, that for indoor plants (philodendron, fern, dracaena, Solomon Island ivy arum, schefflera, variable tuftroot, India-rubberplant, anthurium, fern asparagus etc) is 160 ha, that por pot flowers (cyclamen, primrose, scarlet sage, cineraria, calceolaria, sweet alissum, chrysanthemun, sultan snapweed, fish geranium. Lady Washington pelargonuim, marigold, fuchsia, hydragen, begonia, pied gazania. Persian buttercup, gerbera etc) is 220 ha. The other production areas of protected cultivation are in the south eastern part of Province of Buenos Aires (50 harose, gladiolus, chrysanthemun). Prov. of Santa fe (150 ha-carnation, rose), Prov. of Corrientes (60 ha-rose, gladiolus), and Prov. of Misiones.

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