Millions of flowers pass through Miami airport for Valentine's Day

The largest flower importer in Miami is Avianca Cargo, based in Medellín, Colombia.

Florida.- In preparation for Valentine's Day, Avianca Cargo has transported around 19,000 tons of flowers in 320 full cargo flights, said CEO Diogo Elias on Friday in Miami.

"We are operating more than double the flights compared to normal. We fly flowers throughout the year, but Valentine's Day is special. Much more focused on roses, especially red roses. More than 50-60% are red roses at the moment," expressed Elías.

Christine Boldt, executive vice president of the Association of Flower Importers, explained that there will be a price increase this year, and this is largely due to the tariffs imposed last year on imports from Colombia and Ecuador, along with a new minimum wage implemented this year in Colombia. "This adds significant dollars to the bouquets that are arriving. Each consumer will have to face additional costs," commented Boldt. Despite higher prices, flowers continue to be one of Miami's largest imports, noted airport director Ralph Cutié. The airport received nearly 3.5 million tons of cargo last year, and flowers accounted for about 400,000 tons. More than a quarter of these are shipped before Valentine's Day, marking a 6% increase from last year.

You can also read: Ecuador's flower exports would reach 39 thousand tons

Agricultural specialists from the border agency review flower packages to prevent plant diseases, pests, and potentially harmful foreign animals from entering the country, noted Daniel Alonso, an agency official. Inspectors find an average of around 40-50 plant pests per day, with moths being the most common. The pests are delivered to the Department of Agriculture, which determines the potential threat.

"Our rigorous process is vital to safeguard the floral and agricultural industries, ensuring that our imported flowers do not introduce harmful pests or diseases," Alonso stated.

Source: Los Angeles Times