Júlia Ledur
Since the beginning of the year more than 1 billion fresh-cut flowers have crossed into the United States. They travelled thousands of miles - roses from Colombia, carnations from Ecuador, tulips from the Netherlands - destined for grocery store shelves, wedding altars, hospital nightstands and the hands of your Valentine.
The United States is the world’s largest importer of cut flowers. This year Americans are expected to spend $27.5 billion on flowers this Valentine’s Day alone, a record-breaking sum according to the National Retail Federation. The cost of romance may rise next year if President Donald Trump follows through with his proposed 25 percent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada. Between the two countries, the United States imports roughly $150 million worth of flowers every year.
Last month, Trump also threatened tariffs against Colombia, the largest flower exporter to the United States, after its president briefly refused to take back migrants on U.S. military flights. However, the White House backed off after the two countries reached an agreement.
Nearly 80 percent of flowers sold in the United States are imported, according to data from the U.S. Agriculture Department. Although some U.S. states such as California and Pennsylvania have large floriculture operations, local supply is not enough to meet demand, which skyrocketed after the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Even as lockdowns put big events on hold, Americans sent flowers as a way to stay connected, a habit that has stuck. When restrictions were lifted, a surge of delayed celebrations allowed the trade to bloom. Flower exporters saw an opportunity to meet the burgeoning demand. “Year after year we have seen between 10 and 20 percent of growth in our company,” said Alejandro Delgado, the director of operations at Elite Flower farm in Colombia.
Colombia, with its perfect combination of high altitude, generous sunlight and low production costs, is uniquely suited to the task. Roses are the most popular Colombian flower, but the country boasts an impressive variety - more than 1,600, including chrysanthemums, carnations, lilies and orchids.
Meanwhile, American growers grappled with labor shortages, rising fertilizer costs and soaring land prices. Importing flowers was simply cheaper than growing them at home, according to a report from Utah State University.
- - -
The roots of the trade
The flood of Colombian flowers into the United States has been decades in the making. In 1991, Congress passed the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA), a law that eliminated tariffs on several goods from Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. The aim was to shift these nations away from the illicit drug trade and toward legitimate industries. The impact was almost instant. In the two years following the ATPA, rose imports from Colombia grew over 30 percent.
Three decades later, the U.S. flower market shows no signs of slowing down - and neither do South American flower exporters.
- - -
From farms to bouquets
Flowers harvested in the morning in Colombia can be on sale in Florida by the afternoon.
“After we cut the flower, it’s a race against time. We export as quickly as possible,” Delgado said.
Immediately after harvesting, the flowers undergo a hydration process before being transported to a warehouse, where they are assembled into bouquets. To extend their lifespan, workers treat the blooms and package them for shipment. Until they are transferred onto a plant to the United States, they need to be preserved in a cold chamber at about 35 degrees Fahrenheit. The majority arrive through Miami International Airport, where they are transferred to cold storage before being inspected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to ensure no unwanted pests or diseases have made the journey with them. Finally, they are shipped by land in refrigerated trucks to American retailers across the country.
During the Valentine’s Day rush-the flower trade’s most demanding occasion, rivaled only by Mother’s Day-this delicate supply chain becomes a logistical feat. In the two weeks prior to the holiday, Delgado said his farm alone ships about about 4 million stems per day. Last year, nearly 1,700 cargo flights carrying 59,000 tons of flowers departed Bogotá ahead of Valentine’s Day, the majority headed to the United States, according to Asocolflores, the Colombian association of flowers exporters.
That amounts to 150 million standard bouquets.