• During Valentine´s, between January and February 2024, Colombia exported over
59,000 tons of fresh cut flowers, 13% more than the previous year. The main destination
was the United States, with 76% of the exports, followed by the United Kingdom, Canada,
Japan, and the Netherlands.
• During the Valentine’s season temporary job opportunities are generated for more than
20,000 direct employees covered by all the legal requirements.
• The Petal Plan by Asocolflores is a program that was developed in 2006. This program
helps to ensure the transportation of flowers and the flow of cargo, as well as preventing
illegal acts, especially those related to the theft of flowers.
• Avianca Cargo is one of the leading cargo transportation companies in the region. It
supports this initiative, facilitating the flower export logistics, doubling the available
capacity and offering the clients the possibility of taking their key products to the United
States and European markets.

• From the Government, ProColombia supports the international promotion of Flowers of
Colombia. During 2024 it supported, jointly with the Colombian flower growers, different
activities that took place in South Korea, the United States, and Japan.
Bogota, January 2025. “Colombia is the second largest flower exporter worldwide. Floriculture is
one of the most important sources of formal work in the Colombian countryside, as well as an
example of international trade logistics within our agricultural sector. This segment has been a
key catalyst in opening new international markets while positioning Colombia as a quality and
diversity flower supplier which embraces good social and environmental practices”, said Augusto
Solano, CEO of Asocolflores.
Floriculture continues to be one of the most important sources of formal work in the Colombian
countryside. The sector generates over 200,000 direct and indirect formal jobs per year. Of the
direct jobs, close to 60% correspond to women, and 50% of them fall under the category of
mothers who are also heads of households. Added to the above, during the Valentine´s season
more than 20,000 temporary jobs are generated, which also comply with all of the legal
requirements; this shows the great contribution and stability of the sector in matters of local
employment.
The sector promotes this season amongst the rural youth as a time to become acquainted with
the stability that the flower industry offers in terms of employment, understanding the
importance of having social benefits such as the contributions to retirement and health, amongst
others.
Much of the success of flower exports is derived from the logistics chain. Therefore, every year
Asocolflores kicks off the so-called Petal Plan. For the upcoming Valentine´s season, logistics
and transportation continue to be the issues in which the flower growers work to ensure product
availability and handle orders from assorted countries.
“To meet the demands of the different markets during special dates, the efficiency of the
productive chain depends on the relationships between producers, authorities, suppliers,
forwarders and trading companies. Therefore, our Petal Plan has national and international
recognition for optimizing distribution times, amongst other considerations”, said Augusto
Solano, CEO of Asocolflores.

The Petal Plan is a program of security and coordination with all the authorities (ICA, the
Colombian Agricultural Institute; the National Police; Dian, the National Directorate of Taxes and
Customs; and Supertransporte, the Transport Superintendence) and the various agents of the
logistics chain (airports, port authorities, cargo agencies and airlines, amongst others), to ensure
mobility, cargo flow, and prevent illegal actions.
One of the most important challenges for flower exporters is to cater with quality and timeliness
to thousands of international clients. The Petal Plan allows them to guarantee phytosanitary
conditions, security, promptness, and agility as demanded by the different countries to which
they export.
“The contribution of each participant in the logistics chain (amongst them Avianca Cargo, in
developing this plan) is necessary and of great value for the recognition of Flowers of Colombia
around the world”, Solano commented.
“Here, at Avianca Cargo, we have built a relationship of more than 52 years of commitment and
dedication, which has led us to become a strategic partner of the Colombian floriculture. This
sector not only parades throughout the world the beauty and quality of our flowers, it also drives
the social and economic development of thousands of families. During Valentine´s we double
our flower transportation capacity maintaining our highest standards to ensure that flowers
reach their destination on time and in excellent conditions. This is how we contribute to the joint
effort with Asocolflores, Procolombia, and other main actors of the logistics chain, so that
Colombia transcends borders”, said Diogo Elias, Senior VP of Avianca Cargo.

Between January and February 2024, 59,000 tons of cut flowers were exported from Colombia
for this celebration, a growth of 13% compared to the same period of 2023. 92% of which was
transported by air from the El Dorado Airport in Bogota and the Jose Maria Cordova airportin Rio
Negro, Antioquia. The remaining 8% was shipped by sea from the ports of Santa Marta,
Buenaventura, Cartagena, Barranquilla and Turbo.
During Valentine´s 2024, the Colombian flower exported mostly red rose (19%). Nevertheless,
for this festivity other species were also in high demand, such as carnations (16%),
chrysanthemums (13%), hydrangeas (7%) and alstroemerias (6%), as well as many others of the
60 flower species that we have in our country.
The main destination for Valentine´s 2024 was the United States, a country with approximately
76% of the shipments. Notwithstanding, during this celebration the Colombian flowers also
reached other countries such as the United Kingdom (5%), Canada (3%), the Netherlands (3%)
and Japan (3%), to mention just a few of the 100 countries to which we export this product.
Much of the success and positioning of Flowers of Colombia during this season as well as
throughout the year, goes hand in hand with promotion and positioning strategies of the
Colombian flowers in different markets. According to Solano, “the support of ProColombia
through business meetings and presentations as part of their international activities, have
contributed to the growth of flower exports to different countries”.

“Colombian flowers are much more than an export product: they represent our natural wealth,
resilience and talent. Thanks to their unrivaled variety and quality, as a result of ProColombia´s
unfailing work, we have been instrumental in conquering markets in more than 100 countries. Our
commitment relies in sustainability and in the joint work between the Government,
entrepreneurs and producers, demonstrating that Colombia, the Land of Beauty, has a
prominent place in the world, not only for what it produces but for how we do it. We continue to
bring the color and excellence of our flowers to each corner of the planet Earth, building a legacy
of innovation and national pride”, said Carmen Caballero, President of ProColombia.
“Thanks to the hard planning work carried out by Asocolflores since the end of last year, and to
the competitiveness and organization of the flower growers and of all the other actors involved
in the production chain, the conditions required to handle this season with success are active
and we are looking forward to it with a spirit of optimism”, said Solano.
Thus, flower growers are awaiting the season with great hope, given that it represents around 1%
of their total yearly exports, a condition which makes this upcoming celebration a special date for
the future of one of the sectors that works hardest for the social, economic and environmental
development of its communities of influence.
Find Photos here: Así se vive San Valentín 2025 | Flickr