MIAMI (AP) — Winged infants taking pictures heart-shaped arrows may get many of the credit score on Valentine’s Day, however the actual magic behind hundreds of thousands of romantic bouquets occurs in a cargo warehouse at a South Florida airport.
Agricultural specialists at Miami Worldwide Airport will course of about 990 million stems of reduce flowers within the weeks earlier than Feb. 14, in line with U.S. Customs and Border Safety. Round 90% of the recent reduce flowers being offered for Valentine’s Day in the US come by way of Miami, whereas the opposite 10% move by way of Los Angeles.
Roses, carnations, pompons, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums and gypsophila arrive on tons of of flights, principally from Colombia and Ecuador, to Miami on their journey to florists and supermarkets throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Miami’s largest flower importer is Avianca Cargo, based mostly in Medellín, Colombia. In preparation for Valentine’s Day, the corporate is transporting about 19,000 tons of flowers on 320 full cargo flights, CEO Diogo Elias stated Friday in Miami. They’re operating greater than twice as many flights in comparison with regular.
“We fly flowers for the entire yr, however Valentine’s is particular,” Elias stated. “Far more focused on roses, pink roses particularly. Greater than 50-60% are pink roses presently.”
Clients shopping for flowers will seemingly see a rise in value this yr. Christine Boldt, government vice chairman for the Affiliation of Floral Importers of America, stated the trigger is basically associated to tariffs positioned final yr on imports from Colombia and Ecuador, together with a brand new minimal wage enacted this yr in Colombia.
“This provides important {dollars} to the bouquets which might be coming in,” Boldt stated. “Each shopper is gonna should face further prices.”
Regardless of larger costs, Flowers proceed to make up one among MIA’s largest imports, airport director Ralph Cutié stated. The airport acquired virtually 3.5 million tons of cargo final yr, with flowers accounting for about 400,000 tons. Greater than 1 / 4 of these flowers are shipped earlier than Valentine’s Day, marking a 6% improve over final yr.
“The mom, the spouse, the girlfriend in Omaha, Nebraska, that will get their flowers for both Valentine’s or Mom’s Day, likelihood is these flowers handed by way of our airport,” Cutié stated. “And that’s one thing we take a number of pleasure in.”
CBP agriculture specialists test the bundles of flowers for probably dangerous plant, pest and overseas animal illnesses from getting into the nation, CBP senior official Daniel Alonso stated. Inspectors on common discover about 40-50 plant pests a day, the commonest being moths. Pests are turned over to the U.S. Division of Agriculture, which determines the potential risk.
“Our rigorous course of is significant to safeguarding the floral and agricultural industries, guaranteeing that our imported flowers will not be introducing any pests or dangerous illnesses,” Alonso stated.
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