Colombia | Sowing the Future: The Floriculture Sector

Summary

This report shows how the global flower market is expanding and shifting towards higher value segments, while Colombia, the world’s second exporter, boosts formal rural jobs yet faces tighter margins from logistics, input costs and new sustainability standards that will shape its future growth.

Key points

• Key points:
• This report, part of the Sembrando el futuro series on Colombia’s agrifood sector, portrays a global flower market that is expanding, becoming more valuable and increasingly segmented. It shows how spending on flowers is set to rise through 2030, with Europe and North America as anchors and Asia-Pacific emerging as the main growth engine.
• It then explains Colombia’s position as the world’s second largest exporter, with over 10,000 hectares under floriculture, recovering productivity and a product basket led by roses and carnations but increasingly complemented by hydrangeas, chrysanthemums and other specialties. Almost 90% of output is shipped abroad under zero-tariff access to key destinations.
• The document highlights the sector’s macro and social footprint: around 6% of agricultural value added, 4.7% of total exports and highly intensive rural employment, with 143k workers and the highest formalization rate in the country’s farm sector. Flowers also stand out for their contribution to female and youth employment in rural areas.
• Another pillar of the analysis is sustainability. The report describes greater use of rainwater, sharp cuts in pesticide use, rapid growth of bio-inputs and the expansion of certifications such as Florverde, together with international best practices in integrated pest management, traceability systems and measurement of environmental and carbon footprints.
• Finally, it reviews the pressure on margins from currency appreciation, higher input and energy costs, and volatile air freight rates, as well as climate and phytosanitary risks. Even so, the baseline points to sustained export growth and to opportunities in emerging high-value niches such as essential oils, aromatherapy and edible flowers.

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