Keigo Nakamura

Thank you very much for your cooperation always.
I have visited Chile and New Zealand in southern hemisphere in end of January to early February, and checked field, bulb growth, general situation etc.
Here I report you.

①Climate of 2 country is opposite ?
In many years visit, climate of both country is somewhat similar, which I always feel strange because place is far each other.
Whether in this season is moving reverse as following table.

	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Total
Stage	Planting	Planting	Beginning of growth	Branching	Disbudding
ＣＨ※	◎	○	△	△	○？	Average
ＮＺ	△	○	◎	○	△	Little further

※Sun Harvest located in far North is not included.

Chile
…weather in planting was good, most grower finish harvesting normal to little earlier.
2010(last year) was later planting till November due to bad weather and late frost, so 2011 is 1 month earlier and longer growing period (good).
Start was very good, but Nov-Dec was cooler and growth became slow down. Since January 10th, it change to normal hot summer, and lily is growing well.
Reason why I marked January ○？is temperature during my visit was cool like lower than 10 degree in the morning, so I needed sweater, and day time was 20-25 degrees which is low as mid-summer.

Although, it was fine days with very strong sunlight, so I forgot put sun cream my neck back and ear and got hard burn on first day
(since 2nd day, I succeeded to manage !).

New Zealand
…first half of September in planting time was rain, so start was bit later. But later whether recover and planting went smoothly and finished even earlier than normal. Nov-Dec was high temperature, so beginning of growth was perfect in this season.

Normally, disbudding start from end of Dec or January, but it started before X’mas this year, means we see growth is advanced.（this speed is once in 4 year s level）
Temperature in January is normal to little low and some rain in each 10 days. Highest temperature during my visit was around 22 degrees, and lowest were 12-15 degrees. Reason why I marked January △？is lower temperature in summer with some rain was maybe good for bulbs.

On newspaper, indication of UV was 11+ (I have no idea what unit..) which signs “extream”. Ray in there was different from Japanese one, and I didn’t feel heat so much. But after one day walking in the fields, my eyes got burned in red. (I have to put sun grasses next year probably)

Climate of CH & NZ last year was not good, so if I count situation so far, bulb of 2011 should be expected better.

②Bulb is growing well
In both CH & NZ, growth so far is good and enlargement is already advanced. By digging bulbs each checking lot, I measured growth from planting size to present size.
Following is average growing size at checking each grower in 2 countries.

CH	1.82Size up
NZ	1.80Size up

1.8 Size＝3.6㎝ enlargement.

As end of Jan to early Feb, growth looks better. We still have Feb, Mar, Apr, May to make enlargement. It has possibility to grow 1 size up in each month, so near 5 sizes (10cm) up in total season might be possible. (Last 2 years were not good growth, so I wondered planting density changed little wider maybe?)
Certain variety already grown 3 size and more, also average growth of some growers were 2.4 or 2.8 size up, so might be careful with too much enlargement as well.

Acreage of both country is as follow (ha)

	crop2010	crop2011	10/11 (%)
Chile	447	446	99.8％
New Zealand	194	221.5	114％
Total	641	667.5	104％

※This is just my checking data. Way of calculation is same as last year.

Depend on grower, scaling etc is not included.

③I’m preparing stock list now
It already later this year, but takes little more.
Including NL crop, mood of bulb industry was sustained by China and Asian additional demand, but increase of demand became slower, so major exporters seems sympathize to make suitable adjustment in calm with checking valance of demand and supply, and result of SH 2010, etc.

Please check available assortment by refer the previous report “Report about 2011 SH” (January 6, 2011), or please consult to our sales staffs.
By this trip in Chile and New Zealand, there were some varieties which our company refrain to deal, due to some reason. We will contact customer related with that variety later one by one.
Now 2nd SH bulb test is flowering in our test house, which is good reference to check those quality.
We do our best to supply good bulbs at reasonable condition for you, and hope your cooperation very much !

④Cyclone in Australia
At the last part of my New Zealand trip, (Big Typhoon) Cyclone “Yasi” come across Australia north east part. Damage and suffer situation is broadcasted on News every day, I just understand how big nature power is.
At far New Zealand, wind became strong when “Yasi” was on ocean. In Rakaia area which VZ and Bakker located, wind speed reached strong 130km/h, so during field checking, (I was not blown fly though) need to walk with lean the body.
By report, maximum wind speed around center part of “Yasi” was 300km/h, that is really unimaginable.
I sincerely pray for revival there soon.