tulip production in Chile and Argentina

Tulip cultivation in Latin America takes place in southern Chile and Argentina on a calendar that runs six months opposite to Europe’s. At these latitudes, production begins in autumn, when bulbs are planted and begin to root. They start to sprout in August, the fields fill with foliage in September, and flowering arrives in the first days of October.

In Argentina, near Esquel, in Trevelin in the province of Chubut, Juan Carlos Ledesma runs Tulipanes Patagonia, a family-scale tulip growing operation. According to the article, it is the southernmost tulip farm in the world. “These flowers have always fascinated me, and 30 years ago we decided to start growing them,” Ledesma told DW.

The Trevelin operation works with bulbs and machinery sourced from Amsterdam. Over time, the farm managed to export to that same market, though it is currently focused on the domestic Argentine market, with distribution running from Jujuy to Tierra del Fuego. The farm now grows 42 different varieties.

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On managing the plant material, Ledesma says: “There is a six-month offset between the northern and southern hemispheres. Right now, for example, tulips are in flower in Holland, while we are planting. The idea is for them to flower here in October, not in April as they do there. That process takes several years.”

In Chile, Southern Tulips operates in Paillaco, in the Los Ríos region, province of Valdivia, across approximately 140 hectares. The Chilean-Dutch company has been growing tulips for more than 35 years and produces over 60 varieties using genetics sourced from the Netherlands. Its bulbs are exported to Europe, the United States, and China.

Chief Executive Officer Jorge Buschmann says: “It is a passion we have had for 35 years, since we decided to start with this species in southern Chile.” He adds: “They are the same tulips, but because they are grown in the southern hemisphere, they make it possible to offer fresh bulbs every six months.”

The article also includes the perspective of the Chilean-Dutch Chamber of Commerce. “They represent beauty, but also agricultural innovation and a very particular economic history,” says Maarten Kraaijenhagen, chairman of the board. He adds: “For us, they symbolize the bond between Chile and the Netherlands, the exchange of knowledge, and cooperation.”

In that context, Tulip Day has been celebrated in October since 2022, timed to coincide with flowering in the southern hemisphere. Ledesma sums up the process this way: “It is not a native flower, but in my view it is the Patagonian flower, especially in the Andean foothills.”

Source: www.msn.com