The worldwide cut flower market generates about 1.5 million tonnes of exports every year worth about $8 billion. In intercontinental markets most of that moves by air, but there has been a mode shift observed in some markets. Four countries account for almost 80% of worldwide fresh cut flower exports – the Netherlands (40%), Colombia (17%), Kenya (12%), and Ecuador (10%). The biggest worldwide import markets include the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia and Japan. Roses, Chrysanthemums and Carnations account for about half of all flowers moved. Cross border demand for flowers has followed a moderate upward growth trend over the past ten years, increasing by about 3% per year. US import markets have performed better than Europe.
Major Flows
There is a degree of double counting in import and export statistics of flowers, particularly with regard to flows. For example, although the Netherlands is an important producer of flowers in its own right, it is also the primary worldwide trading location for flowers. As such roses imported from Kenya, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Colombia or other EU countries are likely to show up again in export statistics. Most Dutch export flows are to other European countries, although Dutch exports to the United States are generally between 11,000 – 13,000 tonnes per year.
Flows generally tend to be regional. For example, most Colombian flowers move to the US and most African flowers move to Europe (Figure 1 shows Colombian flows while Figure 3 shows an overview of exports from Kenya). Ecuador is an exception in that is has developed a much more geographically diverse set of destinations (see Figure 2). Only about half of all Ecuadorian flowers are destined for other locations in the Americas, while the remainder is to Europe, as well as Central Asia and other countries in the Asia Pacific such as Japan, China and even Australia. This is a testament to the level of export development done by producers in Ecuador as well as the perceived quality of flowers from Ecuador. For example, the value per kg of flowers from Ecuador into Europe is twice as high as the value per kg from other locations (about 8 EUR compared to the average of 4 EUR per kg).
Japan tends to import most of its flowers from Other Asian countries, but also sources significant amounts from Colombia, Ecuador and Kenya (see Figure 4).
Flower imports into Europe have been weaking over the past three years, which has particularly affected African flower exports (see Figure 5).
However, imports from Ecuador and Colombia have grown in both value and weight terms (see Figure 6).
Meanwhile, US cut flower imports have performed strongly, growing 12% in 2022 and are now 50% higher than prior to the pandemic (see Figure 7). Colombian and Ecuadorian exporters have both done well to a large number of markets.
Air Vs Sea
Flowers move mostly by air due to their perishability, but as temperature and climate control opportunities improve, transport by sea becomes more viable. For example, the sea freight share of imports of flowers into the US has been increasing since late 2018, particularly from Ecuador (See Figure 8).
This makes sense as the value per kg of flowers tends to be much lower than other air freight commodities. The average value of flower imports is around $4.50 per kg. That does not leave a lot of room to pay for freight.
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