Photo: Flower grower Joe Oliveri said flower sales dropped by two-thirds last week. (Supplied: Joe Oliveri) Australian flower growers have destroyed tens of thousands of flowers since the coronavirus shut down events and closed florists. 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 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. Photo: 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 […]