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Cut Flower Imports (FY 2014)

Release Date
Fri, 01/23/2015

CBP’s comprehensive approach to border management and control includes protecting agriculture and U.S. economic interests from harmful pests and diseases.

Each day, CBP prevents potentially harmful plant pests and foreign animal diseases from entering the U.S.  at more than 300 ports of entry.  This mission is highlighted as CBP agriculture specialists process cut flower imports for the Valentine’s season.

During the 2014 Valentine’s season from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14, CBP processed approximately 801 million cut flower stems. Here are the facts and figures about CBP flower inspections.

Top 10 Ports of Entry, by volume (number of stems), that processed shipments of cut flower imports for the 2014 Valentine season:
LocationQuantity in Stems
FL Miami Air Cargo CBP674,345,632
CA Los Angeles CBP45,397,889
CA Otay Mesa CBP25,694, 413
TX Laredo CBP12,750,595
NY JFK Air Cargo CBP11,447,124
IL Chicago CBP4,895,268
NJ Newark CBP3,462,653
TX Laredo CBP Colombia2,610,891
NY JFK CBP2,388,416
PR San Juan Air CBP2,373,342
Top 10 Cut Flower Imports, by volume (number of stems):
CommodityStems
Rosa275,132,801
Bouquet, Mixed112,211,434
Bouquet, Rosa76,212,925
Dianthus52,196,012
Chrysanthemum (pom-pon)43,004,858
Alstroemeria33,217,811
Dianthus (mini)25,749,128
Gypsophila19,501,101
Tulipa16,929,793
Chrysanthemum15,695,068
Top 10 Exporting Country of Origin, by volume (number of stems):
CountryStems
Colombia505,921,061
Ecuador184,185,214
Mexico43,128,608
Netherlands21,301,219
Costa Rica9,541,422
Kenya8,318,794
Thailand7,670,453
Guatemala7,096,652
Peru1,697,654
India1,673,246
Top 10 Ports of Entry, by number of plant pests intercepted from shipments of imported cut flowers:
LocationPests Intercepted
FL Miami Air CBP1422
CA Los Angeles CBP383
CA Otay Mesa CBP246
PR Aguadilla CBP219
NY JFK CBP212
PR San Juan Air CBP93
TX El Paso CBP72
TX Dallas/Fort Worth CBP37
TX Laredo CBP27
IL Chicago CBP26

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021