The value of flower bouquet and related exports increased by an average 30.2% for all exporting countries since 2017 when comparable shipments were valued at $8.5 billion.
Year over year, the value of globally exported flower bouquets accelerated by 27.1% from $8.7 billion during 2020.
The 5 biggest exporters of flower bouquets are the Netherlands, Colombia, Ecuador, Kenya and Ethiopia. Collectively, that cohort of major flower suppliers generated 85% of globally exported flower bouquet-related products.
Among continents, European countries sold the highest dollar value worth of exported flower bouquets during 2021 with shipments amounting to $6.4 billion or 57.9% of the worldwide total. Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean generated another 24.8% worth, trailed by African exporters at 10.4%.
Smaller percentages came from sources in Asia (5.3%), North America (1.4%) and New Zealand, Australia and French Polynesia in Oceania (0.1%).
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 0603 for cut flowers and flower buds suitable for bouquets or for ornamental purposes.
Flower Bouquet Exports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of flower bouquets during 2021.
- Netherlands: US$5.7 billion (52% of exported flower bouquets)
- Colombia: $1.7 billion (15.7%)
- Ecuador: $927.3 million (8.4%)
- Kenya: $725.5 million (6.6%)
- Ethiopia: $254.5 million (2.3%)
- Belgium: $150 million (1.4%)
- Italy: $140.9 million (1.3%)
- China: $124.6 million (1.1%)
- Malaysia: $90.5 million (0.8%)
- Canada: $82 million (0.7%)
- Israel: $77.5 million (0.7%)
- South Africa: $70.4 million (0.6%)
- Spain: $69.6 million (0.6%)
- Germany: $65.8 million (0.6%)
- Turkey: $59.4 million (0.5%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 93.5% of global flower bouquets exported in 2021.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing flower bouquets exporters from 2020 to 2021 were: Belgium (up 84.3%), Turkey (up 61.6%), South Africa (up 54.7%) and Italy (up 44.1%).
The lone country to post a decline in its sales of exported flower bouquets was mainland China via a flatlining -0.9% slowdown.
Countries Generating Biggest Surpluses Trading Flowers
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for cut flowers suitable for bouquets during 2021. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s flower bouquet exports and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Netherlands: US$4.4 billion (net export surplus up 36.1% since 2020)
- Colombia: $1.7 billion (up 21.8%)
- Ecuador: $927.1 million (up 12.1%)
- Kenya: $725.5 million (up 26.8%)
- Ethiopia: $254.5 million (up 33.8%)
- Malaysia: $81.7 million (down -0.3%)
- Israel: $75.4 million (up 12.4%)
- China: $72.7 million (down -9.9%)
- South Africa: $67 million (up 53.9%)
- Turkey: $56.1 million (up 65.5%)
- Mexico: $44.2 million (up 25%)
- Vietnam: $39.7 million (up 32.5%)
- Taiwan: $39 million (up 9.2%)
- Costa Rica: $36.3 million (up 48.2%)
- Uganda: $34.5 million (up 851%)
True to its historical image as a tulip producer, the Netherlands serves as the home country with the highest surplus in the international trade of cut flowers suitable for bouquets. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms the strong competitive advantage that Netherlands has for this specific product category.
Countries Incurring Worst Deficits Trading Flowers
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for cut flowers suitable for bouquets during 2021. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s flower bouquet import purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$2.1 billion (net export deficit up 40.9% since 2020)
- Germany: -$1.4 billion (up 25.6%)
- United Kingdom: -$925.1 million (up 16.6%)
- Russia: -$492.2 million (up 81.9%)
- France: -$437.1 million (up 35.8%)
- Japan: -$331.6 million (up 4.6%)
- Switzerland: -$223.4 million (up 36.9%)
- Poland: -$155.6 million (up 38.1%)
- Denmark: -$135.7 million (up 13.3%)
- Austria: -$115.1 million (up 21.7%)
- Sweden: -$106.6 million (up 19.2%)
- Czech Republic: -$100.0 million (up 10.3%)
- Saudi Arabia: -$92.1 million (up 49.3%)
- Norway: -$91.4 million (up 16.6%)
- Belgium: -$85.0 million (down -38.9%)
The United States of America and Germany incurred billion-dollar plus deficits when it comes to the international trade of cut flowers suitable for bouquets. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights both countries’ strong competitive disadvantages for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for flower bouquet-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand from American and German consumers.
Flower Bouquet Importing Companies
According to global trade intelligence firm Zepol, the following companies are examples of multinational cut flower buyers.
- Almacenes Vaca (Mexico)
- Hosley International (United States)
- San Antonio Imports (Mexico)
- Viveres El Triunfo (Mexico)
- WalMart (United States)
Searchable List of Flower Bouquet Exporting Countries in 2021
The top 100 exporting nations documented in the automated database below generated 99.999% of flower bouquet-related goods exported in 2021.
| Rank | Exporter | Flower Exports (US$) | 2020-1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Netherlands | $5,725,766,000 | +34% |
| 2. | Colombia | $1,727,241,000 | +22.4% |
| 3. | Ecuador | $927,276,000 | +12.1% |
| 4. | Kenya | $725,509,000 | +26.8% |
| 5. | Ethiopia | $254,528,000 | +33.8% |
| 6. | Belgium | $149,999,000 | +84.3% |
| 7. | Italy | $140,875,000 | +44.1% |
| 8. | China | $124,623,000 | -0.9% |
| 9. | Malaysia | $90,454,000 | +3.5% |
| 10. | Canada | $82,031,000 | +40.2% |
| 11. | Israel | $77,503,000 | +13.7% |
| 12. | South Africa | $70,393,000 | +54.7% |
| 13. | Spain | $69,569,000 | +4.6% |
| 14. | Germany | $65,842,000 | +24.1% |
| 15. | Turkey | $59,448,000 | +61.6% |
| 16. | Viet Nam | $58,876,000 | +19.9% |
| 17. | Thailand | $58,129,000 | +22.5% |
| 18. | Mexico | $44,336,000 | +23.3% |
| 19. | Taipei, Chinese | $42,124,000 | +7.8% |
| 20. | Costa Rica | $36,829,000 | +49.2% |
| 21. | Uganda | $34,583,000 | +852.2% |
| 22. | Poland | $31,140,000 | -20% |
| 23. | France | $30,882,000 | +60.3% |
| 24. | United Kingdom | $30,491,000 | -8.1% |
| 25. | Lithuania | $27,580,000 | +15.9% |
| 26. | Guatemala | $26,824,000 | +54.2% |
| 27. | United States of America | $25,269,000 | +47.5% |
| 28. | Czech Republic | $24,113,000 | +177.3% |
| 29. | India | $19,804,000 | +44.6% |
| 30. | Nigeria | $17,341,000 | +230.6% |
| 31. | Belarus | $15,086,000 | -88% |
| 32. | Portugal | $13,162,000 | +32.1% |
| 33. | Denmark | $12,675,000 | -9.8% |
| 34. | Japan | $12,253,000 | +61.2% |
| 35. | New Zealand | $11,936,000 | +40.2% |
| 36. | Latvia | $11,715,000 | +230.8% |
| 37. | Zambia | $9,437,000 | +32.8% |
| 38. | Peru | $8,639,000 | +20.6% |
| 39. | Morocco | $8,292,000 | +1.6% |
| 40. | Zimbabwe | $7,999,000 | +181.5% |
| 41. | Rwanda | $7,778,000 | +34.6% |
| 42. | Armenia | $7,552,000 | +7.9% |
| 43. | Tanzania, United Republic of | $7,354,000 | +9.1% |
| 44. | Singapore | $7,100,000 | +12% |
| 45. | Korea, Republic of | $6,610,000 | -23% |
| 46. | Chile | $6,413,000 | +10.4% |
| 47. | Hungary | $6,052,000 | +49% |
| 48. | Slovakia | $5,323,000 | +50.1% |
| 49. | Austria | $4,752,000 | -37.2% |
| 50. | Australia | $4,021,000 | +31.9% |
| 51. | Indonesia | $3,997,000 | -12.1% |
| 52. | Ukraine | $3,282,000 | +115.8% |
| 53. | Kazakhstan | $2,437,000 | -17.5% |
| 54. | Luxembourg | $2,294,000 | +7.6% |
| 55. | Egypt | $2,126,000 | +19% |
| 56. | Philippines | $1,891,000 | +412.5% |
| 57. | Bulgaria | $1,820,000 | +13.4% |
| 58. | Pakistan | $1,579,000 | -5.9% |
| 59. | Sweden | $1,433,000 | -7.8% |
| 60. | Russian Federation | $1,191,000 | +91.2% |
| 61. | Côte d'Ivoire | $1,144,000 | +28% |
| 62. | Sri Lanka | $1,062,000 | +931.1% |
| 63. | Croatia | $827,000 | +66.7% |
| 64. | Hong Kong, China | $802,000 | +8.5% |
| 65. | Iran, Islamic Republic of | $581,000 | -91% |
| 66. | Greece | $499,000 | +64.7% |
| 67. | Slovenia | $441,000 | -6.6% |
| 68. | Ghana | $440,000 | -28.3% |
| 69. | Brazil | $439,000 | -42.8% |
| 70. | Serbia | $436,000 | +87.9% |
| 71. | Uzbekistan | $424,000 | +18.8% |
| 72. | Finland | $380,000 | -54.7% |
| 73. | Cameroon | $355,000 | +22% |
| 74. | Senegal | $332,000 | -2.1% |
| 75. | Lebanon | $308,000 | +8.1% |
| 76. | Mauritius | $220,000 | -6.4% |
| 77. | Ireland | $219,000 | -50.3% |
| 78. | Dominican Republic | $215,000 | +14.4% |
| 79. | Laos | $154,000 | +1.3% |
| 80. | Nicaragua | $124,000 | +34.8% |
| 81. | Azerbaijan | $105,000 | +208.8% |
| 82. | Namibia | $101,000 | 0% |
| 83. | Sudan | $88,000 | +340% |
| 84. | Suriname | $88,000 | 0% |
| 85. | Georgia | $87,000 | +148.6% |
| 86. | Romania | $69,000 | +102.9% |
| 87. | Curaçao | $69,000 | 0% |
| 88. | Niger | $67,000 | 0% |
| 89. | Albania | $56,000 | 0% |
| 90. | Togo | $56,000 | +115.4% |
| 91. | Switzerland | $50,000 | -78.4% |
| 92. | French Polynesia | $47,000 | +42.4% |
| 93. | Tunisia | $46,000 | +1433% |
| 94. | Estonia | $44,000 | -70.7% |
| 95. | Panama | $43,000 | -14% |
| 96. | Qatar | $40,000 | 0% |
| 97. | Kyrgyzstan | $36,000 | 0% |
| 98. | United Arab Emirates | $32,000 | -95.1% |
| 99. | Mali | $28,000 | -12.5% |
| 100. | Madagascar | $27,000 | +92.9% |
Expanding the scope to the 100 leading flower exporters, the fastest-growing suppliers of flowers on international markets are Tunisia (up 1,433% compared to 2020), Sri Lanka (up 931.1%), Uganda (up 852.2%), Philippines (up 412.5%), Sudan (up 340%), Latvia (up 230.8%), Nigeria (up 230.6%), Azerbaijan (up 208.8%), Zimbabwe (up 181.5%) then the Czech Republic (up 177.3%).
Note that you can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2020 data was available.
Average Prices for Major Flower Bouquet Exporters
Among the top exporters of cut flowers and flower buds suitable for bouquets or ornamental purposes, the following 20 countries report their statistics by shipment weight in tons. Countries like Canada and the United States report their average unit prices per unit, not tons.
The top 20 exporters below are listed in order ranked by highest value for international flower sales.
- Netherlands: US$8,344 per ton of exported flowers (up 7.6% from 2020)
- Colombia: $5,839 per ton (up 2.5%)
- Ecuador: $5,526 per ton (up 2.2%)
- Kenya: $4,114 per ton (up 1.5%)
- Ethiopia: $4,495 per ton (up 6%)
- Belgium: $6,005 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Italy: $11,173 per ton (up 17.6%)
- China: $4,302 per ton (up 28.1%)
- Malaysia: $3,667 per ton (up 15.6%)
- South Africa: $8,135 per ton (up 43%)
- Spain: $2,092 per ton (down -0.2%)
- Germany: $8,345 per ton (up 38.5%)
- Turkey: $3,231 per ton (up 10.5%)
- Vietnam: $6,436 per ton (2021 data estimated)
- Thailand: $3,087 per ton (up 52.2%)
- Taiwan: $13,462 per ton (up 6.6%)
- Uganda: $2,761 per ton (down -53.6%)
- Poland: $4,932 per ton (up 12.8%)
- France: $14,533 per ton (up 36%)
- United Kingdom: $5,031 per ton (up 113.3%)
The lowest average prices for exported flowers originated from Spain ($2,092 per ton), Uganda ($2,761), Thailand ($3,087) and Turkey ($3,231).
The most expensive unit charges in 2021 were for flower bouquets and related products exported from France ($14,533 per ton), Taiwan ($13,462) and Italy ($11,173).
See also Netherlands Top 10 Exports, Netherlands Top Trading Partners, Perfumes Exporters by Country Plus Average Prices, Beauty Cosmetics and Skincare Exports by Country and Top Sunglasses Exporters by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on June 9, 2022
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on June 9, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 9, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 9, 2022
Wikipedia, Cut flowers. Accessed on June 9, 2022
Zepol’s company summary highlights by HTS code. Accessed on June 9, 2022
