Colombia, known for its rich biodiversity celebrated Flowers Week at Expo 2020 Dubai from November 7 to 11. The country, home to over a thousand distinct species of flowers, encourages tourists to enjoy the beauty of diverse Colombian flowers displayed at the country’s pavilion as part of its efforts to promote its strong flower market production.

Colombia’s Flowers Week showcased what makes the nation’s flowers stand out in terms of shapes, colors, quality and appearance, which are recognized by the international market. Of the thousands of flowers in Colombia, their roses, carnations, and chrysanthemums are known to be distinct and are given an ‘Origin Seal’, a certification given guaranteeing their unique variety, color and quality.

The week-long event also provided visitors and interested parties an opportunity to participate in roundtable discussions and business meetings regarding the booming flower industry. Asocolflores(Association of Colombian Flower Exporters), which represents flower farmers who manage nearly 75 per cent of the nation’s total exports, accompanied the Colombian national government as it seeks to advance the sector and strengthen trade relations with the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region.

The country, also dubbed as the second largest flower exporter, supplies to nearly 100 countries and will leverage Expo 2020 as a platform to expand its market reach. It is noteworthy that in 2020, cut flower exports from Colombia to the UAE, reached over USD 1.8 million comprising of various kinds including rose, hydrangea, alstroemeria, carnation, chrysanthemum and others.

From January to August this year, Colombia’s flower exports reached an amount of more than USD 2 million and has recorded a strong increase of more than 100 per cent, both in value and volume compared to 2020.

The country’s geographical location and climate conditions make it ideal for the cultivation and production of high-quality flowers and supported by a well-established network of growers, suppliers, and government initiatives.

Colombia is also home to over 4,000 variety of orchids, including its national flower, Cattleya. Commonly known as ‘May Flower’, this orchid variety is native to Colombia and is considered as one of the most beautiful flowers in the world.

Positioned as the gateway to South America, Colombia is one of the region’s fast-growing economies and brings a wide array of investment opportunities to the Expo 2020 Dubai. Its participation in the most inclusive world expo is a major step to strengthen Colombia’s position in the Middle East market as well as to establish intraregional collaborations.