Prices for flowers are higher than they normally are at this time of year & the main reason for this is caused by the COVID-19 impact on World Travel.
In Australia we grow half of the flowers we sell. The other half normally arrives in the airplanes that normally carry international travellers. With the planes stopped, there is no cargo space, which means the 50% of product that is normally imported (at a value of $600M) is not arriving. We are probably only going to get 10% of this figure. This leaves a bit of a supply chain shortage.
Aussie growers can't fill the void instantly as it is winter in Australia and flower growing slows down unless indoor crops have expensive heating etc in place. Our local farmers also need a lead time of 12 - 14 weeks to plant and increase crops.
Native Flowers both a boom and bust for those growers. Compounding the quandary for local native export growers is the lack of plane space. Due to less incoming flights, means the corresponding lack of export outgoing flights is causing growers who would normally export having to look at selling into the local Australian domestic market. This will not achieve as high a price normally as their export (meaning lower dollar turn over for them) but it does mean that the local market can fill some of the supply chain gap with more native flowers as the season kicks on.
The new normal is yet to really be established but what it requires from all industry players is an open mind, the ability to pivot and change their bouquet and floral make up work menus directly in line with what products there are able to source at the time they need it.