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LOVE is in the air this Valentine’s Day season, and so are 940 million fresh flowers.
Starry-eyed lovers may not know that 90 percent of US floral imports are processed at one airport, and workers are fighting a grueling battle to send out bouquets before Friday.
Agriculture specialists with US Customs and Border Protection have their hands full, inspecting flower shipments[/caption]
Workers at the Miami International Airport has to look for dangerous pests, plant diseases, and foreign animals that could threaten US agriculture[/caption]
In January and February alone, the flower imports are worth a whopping $450 million[/caption]
Invasive species cause the US agriculture industry to lose $120 billion each year in economic and environmental damage[/caption]
Roses, carnations, and chrysanthemums arriving from Colombia and Ecuador are being processed and checked by customs officials to ensure they reach florists and supermarkets in time for the holiday.
And 90 percent of shipments to the US are processed through the Miami International Airport, with the rest being sent to Los Angeles.
Avianca Cargo, Miami’s biggest flower importer, has shipped 18,000 tons of flowers from Colombia on 300 flights in three weeks, The Associated Press reported.
“We transport flowers all year round, but specifically during the Valentine’s season, we more than double our capacity because there’s more than double the demand,” senior vice president Diogo Elias said.
Flowers are a major import at Miami International, making up nearly 400,000 tons of the 3 million tons of cargo processed last year.
The shipments are valued at over $1.6 billion, Miami-Dade County Chief Operating Officer Jimmy Morales said.
In January and February alone, the flower imports are worth a whopping $450 million.
With 1,500 tons arriving daily, the scale of this operation is enormous.
Agriculture specialists with US Customs and Border Protection have to inspect over a billion stems of cut flowers each year in preparation for Valentine’s Day, according to Kevin Harriger, Executive Director of Agriculture Programs and Trade Liaison
They’re searching for harmful pests and diseases that could enter the US and ravage native agriculture.
“Invasive species cost the US agriculture industry $120 billion annually in economic and environmental losses,” said MIA port director Daniel Alonso, underscoring the importance of these inspections.
To help with the increased flower imports during this busy time, the APTL sends extra staff to the Miami port.
FLOWER IMPORT SURGE
In the past year, CBP agents checked over 385 million flower arrangements, 76 million roses, and 75 million chrysanthemums, according to US Customs and Border Protection.
By February 7, they had inspected more than 1.1 billion cut flowers, seizing 1,158 shipments with pests and 627 that could have carried diseases into the country.
Most flowers that come into the US are safe, but even one pest or plant disease can cause major problems for American agriculture.
CBP works closely with the floral industry to stop these harmful pests from getting in and protect the country’s crops.
Colombia’s flower industry faced the threat of a 25% tariff after President Gustavo Petro rejected US military flights carrying deported immigrants.
Between the two countries, the United States imports roughly $150 million worth of flowers every year.
Petro accused President Trump of mistreating immigrants and warned of retaliatory tariffs on US goods, including flowers.
Tensions soared as Trump demanded Colombia accept US planes carrying deported migrants, and the South American nation refused.
However, the trade dispute ended in late January when Colombia agreed to allow the flights to land.
Now, with the tariff crisis averted, flowers from Colombia continue to flood into Miami, just in time for the Valentine’s Day rush.
Most flowers that come into the US are safe, but even one pest or plant disease can cause major problems for American agriculture[/caption]
The airport handled over 3 million tons of cargo last year, with flowers making up almost 400,000 tons, valued at over $1.6 billion[/caption]
Avianca Cargo, Miami’s top flower importer based in Medellín, Colombia, has shipped around 18,000 tons of flowers in the past three weeks, with 300 full cargo flights[/caption]
