After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union imposed sanctions that also have a major impact on Dutch entrepreneurs doing business with Russia. Nursery Winkel in Opheusden is expected to lose about 85% of its customers because of the sanctions.
The family business specializes in growing peonies. For many years, nearly the entire production was sent to Russia. Additionally, it sold about 5% to Ukrainian customers, according to agroberichtenbuitenland.nl.
The Russian flower market was a very interesting market for the nursery. To spread the risk, the company already made other choices last fall. They sold part of the production at a lower price to an English retailer and to a Dutch exporter who exports to the United States.
Relocating all sales at once to Western Europe or the United States is not possible. "The quantities they purchase are much lower than Russian customers normally buy. They regularly order 100,000 flowers per week. The American customers order 5,000 to 6,000 flowers per week," said co-director Roeland Winkel.