Australian flower growers have destroyed tens of thousands of flowers since the coronavirus shut down events and closed florists.

Key points: Flower growers and florists are suffering as events are closed down due to the coronavirus pandemic

Flower growers and florists are suffering as events are closed down due to the coronavirus pandemic One flower grower has dumped $20,000 worth of flowers because nobody would buy them

One flower grower has dumped $20,000 worth of flowers because nobody would buy them But the industry hopes sales will pick up with more online orders and fewer imported flowers on the market

Joe Oliveri from Oliveri Flowers on the NSW Central Coast said he dumped 50,000 gerberas last week because nobody would buy them.

"Those flowers have just gone straight in the compost," he said.

"It's just very disheartening, also for the staff that tend to care for [the flowers]. It's just heartbreaking and devastating to see such a beautiful crop just going to waste."

Mr Oliveri said the value of the flowers could be up to $20,000.

He sells most of his flowers to the Sydney markets, but sales were down by two-thirds last week.

Many florists have closed their doors as demand dries up with the cancellation of weddings, funerals, and corporate events.

Online boost not enough

Steven Pellizzer from the NSW Flower Growers Group said it was an issue for growers Australia-wide.

"It's everybody. Everybody's dumping flowers," he said.

"Some people are dumping more than others, but I think a lot of [growers] have suffered to the point of closing up."

Mr Pellizzer is himself a flower grower from Glenorie north of Sydney and his wife runs a florist shop.

Flower grower Joe Oliveri dumped 50,000 gerberas last week and expects more will go to waste as sales plummet. ( Supplied: Joe Oliveri )

He said two factors were working in favour of growers: a recent boost in online orders and a decrease in overseas competition. But it may not be enough to keep everyone afloat, especially if the crisis is prolonged past spring.

"The uptick in online sales will never cover the sales that have been lost," he said.

"This thing about businesses being in hibernation that's been put forward is a great idea, but unfortunately we can't just close the doors.

"We can't shelve our plants. We have to look after them and fertilise and weed them just to keep them alive, otherwise we'll lose massive amounts of dollars."

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Cheap flowers on offer

In the NSW Hunter region several florists near the city of Maitland are trying to recover some costs for local growers by offering cheap bunches.

Krystal Venz from Valley Fresh Flowers at Buchanan said they were relying on an honesty system to sell flowers at significantly reduced prices.

"Certainly we're trying to make it really easy for people, given the restrictions right now on social distancing, and so we're just literally putting them out the front of our shop," she said.

"People can just drive right by, not having to come into the studio at all, which is something we've never done before, but these are unprecedented times.

"And it's making it easier for our customers to keep spreading that little bit of cheer and goodwill."

Ms Venz said the flower-growing industry Australia-wide had "ground to a halt", but it had been heartwarming to see so many people in the community buying flowers to support local growers in recent days.

Mr Oliveri said he was open to the idea of donating flowers to aged-care facilities or charities when he next had an oversupply of stock, but he said he hoped things will turn around this week as the impact of fewer imported flowers in the market is felt.

If things did not improve, he said the crisis could devastate the industry and leave his 30 employees without work.

"We've basically halved all their hours," he said.

"We're really sort of living day by day at the moment. There's nothing much else we can do."