Antioquia and Cundinamarca dominate, but Boyacá begins to surprise.
News Colombia.
The Colombian flower sector started 2026 with figures that move the economic needle. During the Valentine’s season, the country managed to export nearly 70,000 tons of flowers and cut branches, consolidating one of the strongest commercial operations of the first quarter of the year.
The result not only impacts currencies. The season generated more than 20,000 jobs to respond to the peak in international demand, especially in rural areas where floriculture is an engine of development.
Behind each shipment there was key technical work. The Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) intensified phytosanitary inspection and control tasks to guarantee that the shipments met the standards required by the purchasing countries.
Between 2025 and so far in 2026, the entity carried out more than 2,800 surveillance visits in 672 registered properties. Currently, 1,042 export companies actively operate under health certifications that support the quality of the Colombian product.
Antioquia and Cundinamarca dominate production
The bulk of national production is concentrated in Cundinamarca and Antioquia, departments that contribute 98% of total exports. However, Boyacá began to gain prominence this year by strengthening its participation in the export chain.
This regional growth demonstrates that the sector is not stagnating and seeks to expand into new productive territories.
To meet delivery times, 92% of the flowers were sent by air transport. The remaining 8% traveled by sea, an alternative that continues to grow in efficiency and competitiveness.
The maritime dispatches departed from Santa Marta, Cartagena, Buenaventura and Barranquilla, expanding the country’s logistics capacity on dates of high demand.
On the international front, the United States remains the main trading partner. However, Japan, China, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada and Mexico also received significant shipments.
Roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, pompoms and hydrangeas topped the list of exported varieties. With these figures, Colombia reaffirms its position as the world’s second largest exporter of fresh flowers, only surpassed by coffee within non-mineral-energy exports.
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