Direct sales as a tool for competitiveness for SMEs in the EU. The case of farms “Ornamental floriculture and nursery products”

The importance and relevance of the direct sales of products of the agricultural sector in the member states of the EU, have ledthe Commission provide to the European Parliament to get a better view o f to a direct relationship with consumers. This in orderto propose the adoption of instruments to support and promote markets directly managed by farmers for reducing the number ofmiddlemen and of the stages of the process. Also non-food product compartments of the agricultural sector are involved in thedirect sales between producers and consumers. With this paper we bring to the attention the results of an analysis carried out onthe direct sales of the products of farms "ornamental floriculture and nursery products", that is sector little discussed by theeconomic and marketing studies that deal with to market.