Local flower exports to decline

Exports of Spring Festival-themed plants from the Mazai flower farm in Shunde district of Foshan, Guangdong province, have been relatively stable since the business started two decades ago.

But this year, exports are estimated to fall 10 percent to around $1.8 million, largely due to the depreciation of the Malaysian ringgit, said Du Yaobin, the owner of the farm.

But Malaysia is not the only export market for the farm. Singapore accounts for 40 percent of Spring Festival-related exports. It generated steady annual growth over the past few years because the Singaporean dollar was relatively strong.