This year, a whopping 1.2 billion flowers passed through the halls and hangars of Miami International Airport in preparation for Valentine’s Day.
The airport collaborates with Avianca Cargo, a Colombian airline, to import 90% of the cut flowers purchased in the United States during the month of love.
Federal inspectors do much work.
“What they’re looking for is any pests, hitchhikers or insects that might come in the flowers,” said Michael Silva, a public information officer for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “That could be devastating to the agricultural industry of the United States.”
About 18,000 tons of flowers were transported via 300 flights over the course of a month to preserve the freshness of the blossoms while still meeting the demands of lovers across the nation.
“We need to get these flowers to market as soon as possible to make sure you get your flowers,” said Silva.
