Ecuador exported 5.54% more flowers for Valentine’s Day, but prices did not match and received 5% less foreign currency than in 2022

The flower sector exported 5.54% more flowers for this Valentine’s season, but also generated 5% less foreign currency income compared to the same period in 2022, revealed Alejandro Martínez, executive president of the Association of Flower Exporters of the Ecuador (Expoflores).

Martínez assured that in the Valentine’s season, which began between January 17 and 18 until February 9, around $180 million to $200 million was moved.

Export flowers represent 89% of the cargo transported at the Quito airport

He added that this season’s sales represent between 25% and 30% of the sector’s annual sales, whose other peak dates are Women’s Day, Mother’s Day and Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Meanwhile, regarding the international destinations where Ecuadorian flowers arrive, Martínez revealed that Europe decreased 2.75% in relation to shipments in 2022. According to Expoflores statistics, from January 10 to February 8, 9,318 tons were exported, while in 2022 there were 9,582 t.

Meanwhile, in the United States there was an increase in shipments of 7.89%, registering 15,303 t, 1,120 t more than those that were exported to that destination in 2022 (14,183 t).

Meanwhile, these figures represent an improvement compared to how flower exports were until January 31, since Martínez had reported that until that date flower sales in the European market had fallen by 17%, as a result of the recession. worldwide due to the insufficient payment capacity of customers.

Businesses ‘fall in love’ with their customers to start the year maintaining the 12% growth in sales in 2022

Meanwhile, in the case of the United States, only 2% growth in consumption was expected due to the slowdown in the purchase intention of that market.

In the other destinations, flower exports grew 93.86%. According to Expoflores figures, 25,634 t of flowers were exported versus 24,288 t in 2022 for the Valentine’s season.