You might have noticed that fresh flower prices have risen a bit in the past few weeks. Who would ever think that a new tax on people in one South American country, Colombia, would ever have an effect here in Auburn, New York? That is exactly what has happened. Carmen Cosentino of Cosentino's Florist discusses the topic in his column.
Most of the flowers sold in the United States, especially in the Northeast, are grown in Colombia and Ecuador. It seems that in late April, the Colombian government imposed a small sales tax on some services and food items. That sent thousands of Colombians into the streets for International Workers Day in protest of the government tax proposal. Even though the president of Colombia has declared that the tax on food and utilities and the new income tax would be removed from the order, the riots continue to the present time.
Therefore roads are blocked and workers cannot get to their work to nurture, harvest and pack the flowers. Once on trucks for the journey to the airport, there is no guarantee that they will arrive. Trucks are being blocked for hours, making their precious cargo wither in the high temperatures. Then came a nationwide transportation strike, tying up everything.
Today’s reports show that the situation in the US is easing. Flower shortages seem to be easing and our wholesalers, who have been working very hard through this crisis, seem to be relieved. Those of us in upstate New York have been even more fortunate than florists in other areas because we are served by vendors coming in with products from greenhouses along the Niagara Peninsula. We have had a steady supply of lilies, snapdragons and gerberas.
To read the complete column, go to www.auburnpub.com.
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