Ecuador’s flower exports for Mother’s Day rose 8% – 2024-05-14 12:03:39

2024-05-14 12:03:39

Flowers from Ecuador are one of the most appreciated by international markets, exports for Mother’s Day in volume increased by 8%, according to the National Association of Flower Producers and Exporters of Ecuador (Expoflores).

“This year, 21,000 tons of Ecuadorian flowers were exporteds,” Alejandro Martínez, president of Expoflores, told Diario EXPRESO. He added that on this special date and on Valentine’s Day there was an increase in sales, but it is not the trend throughout the year, because rather there is a drop in consumption. At the beginning of 2024, it was projected that the year would perhaps close with a sale of -3%, now due to the increase in sales for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day it may be -1%. “It cannot yet be determined how 2024 will close, we have to see what will happen in the following weeks if a drop in consumption is going to be maintained when there is no special date to celebrate,” Martínez explained.

However, the airlines that were in charge of bringing the flowers from both Ecuador and Colombia, for Mother’s Day, also celebrate that there was an increase in sales.

Avianca Cargo announced the closing of its Mothers season with the transportation of more than 400 million flower stems, representing nearly 18,000 tons of cargo, on about 300 flights from Colombia and Ecuador to the United States.

More than 14,000 tons were moved from Colombia, with which the airline once again positioned itself as a national leader in the transportation of this product to USA. In addition, it is expanding its fleet with new A330 freighter aircraft, which allows it to continue positioning itself as an important strategic ally for the flower industry in the region.

For this Mothers season, and for the second time this year, Avianca Cargo doubled its regular capacity for transporting flowers, highlighting the export of roses and carnations from Bogotá, pompoms, hydrangeas and chrysanthemums from Medellín, and roses, carnations and gypsos from Quito.

“It is a constant in our mothering seasons to transport the flowers with the greatest care to keep them fresh until their destination and meet the needs of our customers. In this way we also support the dynamization of the economy Colombian and Ecuadorian, moving one of the most significant products in the region, and helping to promote this industry,” said Diogo Elías, senior vice president of Avianca Cargo.

The company responded promptly to the requirements of its customersthanks to the preparation of each team months before the launch of the season, increasing its operating personnel by 30% and increasing extended reception hours 24/7 in stations of origin such as Colombia and Ecuador and arrival stations such as Miami and Los Angels.

The LATAM group

The LATAM group, through its cargo subsidiaries, culminated a historic season for Mother’s Day by leading the flower transport from South America to the world for this holiday. In a period of 21 days, more than 24,000 tons of flowers were moved from Ecuador and Colombia, marking an increase of 20% compared to the same period of the previous year.

In response to the growing demand for flowers during this special celebration, the LATAM group has expanded its transportation capacity, providing a flexible offer adapted to the needs of its customers. The company provided 411 frequencies to deliver around 552 million flowers to destinations such as Europe and the United States, with Miami being the main arrival point with 369 landings during the season.

“This season’s growth is a testament to the trust our customers place in us, as well as our long-term commitment to meeting their needs and those of this flower sector. With more than 300,000 jobs generated by floriculture in Ecuador and Colombia, we assume the enormous responsibility of transporting your flowers to global destinations in optimal conditions. Our goal is that each person who receives one of these flowers feels its freshness as if it had just been cut on the farm where it was grown,” he stated. Claudio Torres Faini, Commercial Director of South America at LATAM Cargo Chile.

In Ecuador, cargo subsidiaries have practically doubled the amount of flowers transported compared to the same date in the previous year, with nearly 11,000 tons of flowers, mostly roses, exported to the main global markets in 189 takeoffs from Quito, seeing an increase of 70% compared to 2023, with the main destinations Miami, Amsterdam and Los Angeles.

On the Colombian side, on the other hand, more than 13,000 tons of flowers were transported on 222 flights departing from Bogotá and Medellín, including a variety of species such as roses, carnations and chrysanthemums. In 2023, the LATAM groupsays the firm, was responsible for the transfer of 40% of all flowers exported from Colombia in the year, and after the success seen this season, the results for 2024 are expected to follow the same line.

Source: KCH