The celebration of Father’s Day on May 8 in South Korea boosted the demand for Colombian flowers, particularly carnations, which are the traditional gifts for this special date.
In recent weeks, between April 15 and 26, there has been a significant increase in the demand for carnations: while in a typical week around 40,000 kilos are sold, during that week 300,000 kilos were sold.
Given this growing demand, the Ceva company, a subsidiary of the global logistics firm CGM, was the agent that contracted the flight operated by the Atlas Air company, thus reaffirming its commitment to the Colombian flower export market. The flight departed from Bogotá, stopping in Miami and finally arriving in Seoul, South Korea, with more than 3 million stems of carnations, roses, hydrangeas and other flowers.
This significant achievement was possible thanks to the coordinated work of 27 exporters from the Sabana de Bogotá and Antioquia, who came together to take advantage of business opportunities in South Korea.
Pablo Torres, director of Perishable Products at Ceva and responsible for the logistics of this milestone, highlights the importance of having a new market for Colombian flower growers, especially one with high demand and a shortage of supplies.
Likewise, Ana Milena Rojas, Operations Manager commented: “at Ceva we will continue to focus on supporting the permanent growth in the Korean market, which has become fundamentally for the Colombian flower and its diversification. Always hand in hand with our different partners such as Atlas and the exporters who have done a spectacular job of adapting their product to this market”.
Carmen Caballero, president of ProColombia, pointed out that “the export of flowers to South Korea represents a great opportunity for Colombian flower growers. The commitment and collaboration between the players in the sector have paved the way for our flowers to position themselves in the Korean market. This milestone is part of the efforts for the diversification of the Colombian export basket led by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Asocolflores and ProColombia”.
“For the flower sector, the South Korean market is evidence of market diversification for the export of fresh cut flowers. The special dates in different countries open an important window that generates opportunities for flower consumption in different homes around the world. Last year, in April, Colombia exported US$863,000 of cut flowers to South Korea, representing an increase of 65% compared to 2021. This represents great opportunities and challenges where we must continue joining efforts to promote and position Colombian Flowers before the eyes of the South Koreans”, assured Augusto Solano, president of the Colombian Association of Flower Exporters.
The Atlas Air flight with the flower shipment took off on April 24 and arrived in Seoul at 8:00 pm on the 25th of the same month, ensuring the freshness and quality of the flowers during transportation. Torres points out that new flower varieties are currently being identified to satisfy the preferences of the demanding Korean market.
This success is the tangible result of a joint effort between the public and private sectors, as well as taking advantage of the international missions organized by ProColombia and Asocolflores between 2017 and 2019, where the foundations were explored and established to enter the Korean market. In addition, this achievement is part of the use of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Colombia and Korea, which provides tariff benefits to sectors such as the local flower industry.
With roses, hydrangeas, alstroemerias and foliage, Colombia is already the main international supplier of flowers for South Korea, far surpassing other competitors such as Vietnam, China and the Netherlands. It also presents constantly growing exports to the Korean market. According to figures from Dane, Colombian sales in 2022 totaled 13.4 million, which meant an increase of 49% compared to 2021. And in the first quarter of 2023 they reached US$2.6 million.