Increase in online horticulture sales predicted

The UK online horticulture industry is enjoying a period of sustained growth, it has been claimed.

A recent report showed that internet sales of garden and greenhouse products have risen dramatically in recent years and are set to continue to do so in the future, Horticulture Week reported.

According to the AMA Internet Garden Products Market UK 2010-2014 report, the success can be put down to an increase in the number of Brits getting online.

There was a 28 per cent rise in the number of connected households between 2006 and 2009, taking the total to 70 per cent of the UK population.

The report read: "The internet garden products market is estimated to be worth around £160 million at retail prices in 2009, a 28 per cent increase on the previous year."

It predicted that this figure could double between now and 2014 and explained that the statistics are based on a combination of specialist garden suppliers and other firms which also sell horticultural items.

In other news, Horticulture Week recently published an article warning blueberry growers about a troublesome moth.