Colombian flower farm worker invites U.S. Ambassador to see the bright side of Colombia - its flowers!
A flower farm employee writes a letter to the US Ambassador to Colombia thanking the people of the United States
RIONEGRO, Colombia, Feb. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In January, Ximena Agudelo, a Colombian flower worker at the 'Flores la Esmeralda' farm near Medellin, sent a hand-written letter to Kevin Whitaker, the U.S. Ambassador to Colombia, thanking the United States for supporting her country's flower industry. She wrote, "I invite you to visit our beautiful flower farm, fall in love and see the beauty of Flores la Esmeralda, not only because of its flowers, but also for the human quality its employees have, and from where we get the financial support for our families.' Ximena, a third generation flower farm worker with over 12 members in her family currently employed or retired from the flower industry continued. 'Thanks to this job they have taught us to value things, to love flowers, to appreciate that a lot of people in the United States buy flowers, which has allowed us to have an education, comfort, health, and own a home.'
Ambassador Whitaker read this heart-felt letter and decided to personally visit Ximena and her family at Flores la Esmeralda, and to experience first-hand the dynamics of this industry gearing up for Valentine's Day, an important floral holiday celebrated in the U.S. and other world markets.
On February 3rd, Ambassador Whitaker was greeted by Ximena Agudelo, who led the tour around the 'Flores la Esmeralda' flower farm. During the visit, Ximena recounted the colorful history of her 3rd-generation flower farmhand family, whose pioneering grandfather, Marco Aurelio Agudelo, began working at 'Flores la Esmeralda' at the very beginning of the flower industry in Colombia in the early '70's
Augusto Solano, the President of Asocolflores, the Association of Colombian Flower Exporters, who accompanied Ambassador Whitaker, spoke about the Agudelo family, "Chronicles like those nurtured within the extensive Agudelo clan echo throughout the nation's landscape on countless other flower farms, as they embrace entire multi-generational families to help them raise their blooms - a simple reflection of one family helping to transform another. And so, from the old adage "a family that works together, stays together" we can also say "a flower family that works together, stays together, makes their dreams come true".
Ambassador Whitaker was impressed with this dynamic industry, a major contributor to the Colombian economy and one of the largest employers in the country, an industry that exported USD$1,334 million in 2013, and generated 130,000 direct and indirect jobs for Colombians in 60 communities. Colombia ships 76% of its total production to the U.S. market, and in the U.S., 80% of the cut flower stems and 65% of the retail dollars sold are grown in Colombia.
Valentine's Day makes up 12% of annual sales for Colombian flower exporters. At least 500 million stems are slated to be shipped overseas to support Valentine's Day, primarily to the US, as well as to some European countries. To support this important floral holiday, nearly 1,500,000 boxes of flowers will be shipped to the U.S. on up to 30 daily air freighter flights, primarily to the main flower distribution hub in Miami, Florida.
Colombian Floriculture Facts: |
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Colombian floriculture celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and has become the top-ranked non-traditional agricultural export in the nation. |
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Colombia is the top provider of cut flowers to the United States and the 2nd largest flower exporter in the world. |
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Colombian flowers are currently shipped to 90 countries and generate over 130,000 direct and indirect jobs in 60 Colombian municipalities. |
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Colombian flower farms export over 1,000 different species of flowers. |
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Colombian floriculture generates 25% of the rural female employment in the nation. |
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Colombian floriculture has generated jobs for displaced and vulnerable families, and has provided them with conflict resolution training programs leveraging US government USAID initiatives |
For more information: |
Jairo Cadavid, Director of Promotion and Communications |
Diana Linares, Assistant Director of Promotion and Communications |
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Asocolflores |
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Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150206/173949
SOURCE Jairo Cadavid
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