Colombia, the leading flower producer in the Americas, exported over 700 million flowers for Valentine’s Day to several countries, including the United States, according to the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday.
According to official figures, the revenue generated from the export of Colombian flowers reached 1.75 billion dollars between January and October 2023.
In a statement, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Jennifer Mokhica noted that 700 million flowers, which represent 15% of Colombia’s annual flower exports, make it the second-largest supplier of this product in the world after the Netherlands.
Columbia is well-known for its high quality of various flowers, with roses, carnations, daisies, cubas, and lilies being particularly notable among them.
Flowers are the second most exported agricultural product from Colombia after coffee, with over 60 types and 1600 varieties being cultivated and exported abroad.
The celebration of Valentine’s Day in September and Mother’s Day in May in Colombia witnesses the highest percentage of flower sales abroad. These two occasions account for approximately 30% of the country’s annual flower sales volume, as reported by Mokhika. Colombia is located in South America.
Valentine’s Day, which falls on February 14th, provides approximately 27,000 temporary jobs in addition to the 110,000 jobs already existing in the sector. Moheeka clarified that “the majority of workers in this field are women and mothers who are the breadwinners for their families.”
Flower transportation flights have tripled in the past few days, reaching between 30 and 40 flights per day.
In addition to the United States, Colombia exports flowers to approximately 100 countries including Japan, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and South Korea.
