by Cesar Marino Garcia and Li Zijian

BOGOTA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The unity of Colombia's flower industry has been essential to mitigating the negative impact of U.S. tariffs on its flower exports, Pablo Bazzani, general manager of Plazoleta Flowers, a leading Colombian exporter of high-quality blooms, has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Bazzani described the recent 10 percent U.S. tariff on flower imports as "unfortunate," noting it undermines a long-standing and strategic trade relationship supported by a carefully negotiated free trade agreement between the two countries.

"The trade balance largely favors the United States through exports of soybeans, wheat, barley and other grains to Colombia. That's why we expected to be exempted from this policy," he said. "But since it's a global measure, we've been placed on equal footing with other flower-exporting countries."

Colombia now faces the same trade conditions as other flower-exporting countries like the Netherlands, Ecuador and Kenya. But key competitors such as Mexico and Canada have so far been exempted, putting Colombia at a competitive disadvantage, Bazzani noted.

In response, Colombia's flower sector, organized under the Colombian Association of Flower Exporters (Asocolflores), has adopted a collective strategy -- spreading the 10 percent tariff cost along the entire production and export chain.

"This approach has significantly softened the blow," Bazzani said. "When the 10 percent is spread across freight, intermediaries and logistics, it becomes a much smaller surcharge at the end of the chain."

He said the main goal is to avoid significant consumer price hikes, which could dampen demand, and strong communication between growers and customers has been key to maintaining market stability.

"Our customers have understood the situation and are working with us to seek joint solutions. So far, we've weathered the last few months without a major drop in demand. We hope this will continue, and the U.S. government may eventually reconsider its measures," he said.

Bazzani also noted that Colombian flower growers are increasingly aligning with the government's broader strategy to diversify agricultural exports. "Today, we sell flowers to China, South Korea, Japan, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the Netherlands and Canada," he said.

Still, he cautioned that Colombia's geography and logistics make it difficult to quickly pivot away from the U.S. market. "That's why we must continue to strengthen our ties with our historic partners during these challenging times," he said.

Experts estimate that the new tariffs could impose more than 150 million U.S. dollars in additional costs on Colombia's flower sector.

According to Asocolflores, flower exports topped 2 billion dollars in 2024, with about 1.56 billion dollars worth shipped to the United States.

More than 200,000 Colombian families rely directly or indirectly on flower production and exports. The country's top flower exports include carnations, roses, chrysanthemums, alstroemerias and hydrangeas. ■