Miami International Airport (MIA) is getting ready to receive a record-breaking flower haul this Valentine’s season, with an estimated 1,500 tons of cut flowers daily between January 1 and February.
MIA is the largest US gateway for flower imports. It handles 91% of all air-shipped flowers, totaling nearly 400,000 tons annually, which amounts to more than $1.65 billion.
Demand more than doubles during Valentine’s season, making this one of the busiest times of the year for floral logistics.
All flowers pass through US Customs inspectors who check for invasive species, which cost America $120 billion in annual losses.
Colombia and Ecuador are the leading suppliers of the blooms. In the past three weeks, Medellin-based airline Avianca Cargo moved 18,000 tons on 300 flights.