Colombian Flowers and Valentine’s Day
“More than 700 million stems cultivated by farmers reach lovers for Valentine’s Day in the US,” reports the government of Colombia.
The floriculture sector generates over 200,000 formal jobs, with 70% being held by rural women.
Bogotá D.C., February 13, 2024
Colombia remains the second-largest exporter of flowers in the world, reports the government of Colombia. Over 52 thousand tons of more than 700 million stems cultivated by Colombian farmers were exported, mainly to the United States to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
“The flowers produced in the Country of Beauty represent a collective effort: diligent hands, patience, and the contribution of thousands of women and scientific development,” said the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Jhenifer Mojica.
The logistical operation for air cargo triples during this season, with between 30 and 40 flights daily, as a result of the two-month preparation required to produce the volume of flowers.
“Since mid-December 2023, our technical teams have developed an action plan to meet the challenge posed by this significant event for Colombian floriculture, inspecting millions of stems destined for nearly 100 international markets,” explained Juan Fernando Roa, manager of the Colombian Agricultural Institute.
The floriculture sector generates over 200,000 formal jobs, both direct and indirect, with an estimated 70% of formal jobs held by rural women.
“This peak in foreign sales for this celebration represents 15% of our country’s annual flower exports, which is even more significant considering that nearly 27,000 additional jobs are created during this period,” said the minister.
Colombia boasts more than 50 species and 1,600 varieties of flowers, with the main producing departments in the country being Cundinamarca, accounting for 71%, and Antioquia with 27%.
According to the ICA, the rose is the most sold plant species abroad, with a 19.1% market share, followed by the carnation, chrysanthemum, hydrangea, and alstroemeria.
Soledad Quartucci | CEO/Founder, Latina Republic
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