Variety, color and beauty for Valentine’s Day in more than 100 destinations around the world.
In order to facilitate exports of flowers and cut branches of ornamental species, the Colombian Agricultural Institute, ICA, redoubled efforts to ensure that Colombian flower growers could send their products on time to nearly 100 markets around the world for the celebration of Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated this February 14.
It takes about two previous months of work to generate the volume of flowers that are exported. In addition to this, during the Valentine’s Day season, the air cargo logistics operation triples, reaching between 30 and 40 daily flights.
“Since mid-December 2023, from our technical areas we have generated an action plan in order to rise to this great challenge of Colombian floriculture to inspect millions of stems that go to nearly 100 international markets, in this way We will coordinate with the union, entities and companies to comply with the exporting country and generate well-being for the Colombian countryside,” said Juan Fernando Roa, general manager of the ICA.
This entity and its technical areas carry out great work in places of production, export, ports, airports and border crossings, with the aim of guaranteeing high phytosanitary quality, complying with the requirements of the destination countries and ensuring that the quality and beauty of Colombian flowers reach their destination markets.
Among the countries that celebrate Valentine’s Day with the greatest happiness are Australia, Canada, the United States, Italy, Spain, Germany and France. In Latin America, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Cuba, Venezuela and Ecuador join in celebrating Valentine’s Day this February 14. Colombia celebrates the Day of Love and Friendship on Saturday, September 21, with gifts and beautiful flowers from our country.
Coffee growing in figures
The main producing departments in Colombia are Cundinamarca, with 71% and Antioquia with 27%. There are also production sites in Boyacá and in the center-west of the country (2%). Flowers represent the second category of agricultural exports in the country, being the second largest exporter in the world after Holland, with a 20% share. The rose is the plant species that is sold the most abroad, with a 19.1% share. It is followed by the carnation, chrysanthemum, hydrangea and astromelia. The main export destination of the flower subsector is the United States, with a 79.7% share in value. Colombia has about 520 species of cut flowers and foliage registered for export, among which hydrangea, chrysanthemum, rose, carnation, alstroemeria, ruscus, solidago, cocculus, sunflower, Eryngium and crocosma stand out.
Other data
So far in 2024, the ICA has issued more than 20,000 phytosanitary certificates for pompom and chrysanthemum flowers destined for the United States and for 14,921 shipments of cut flowers to 81 countries.
Colombia has more than 520 species and 1,600 varieties of flowers and cut branches of ornamental species, which are produced in nearly 10 thousand hectares registered with the ICA.
The flower sector generates more than 200,000 formal jobs, both direct and indirect. It is estimated that 70% of formal jobs are held by rural women and a high percentage by mothers who are heads of households.
The departments with the largest area in the production of ornamentals and cut flowers are Antioquia and Cundinamarca.
Colombia has 2,210 production sites for export, 825 records of exporters and 38 of importers of flowers and cut branches of ornamental species, all with ICA Registration.
The Ministry of Agriculture, the ICA, Asocolflores, the Foreign Ministry, Procolombia and Mincomercio, among other entities, work together so that Colombian flowers bring happiness to the hearts of the world.