Harvesting flowers for Valentine's Day
Workers prepare roses for export at a farm in Nemocon, Cundinamarca department, Colombia, Feb. 2, 2015.
The Valentine's season represents 12 percent of the annual sales for Colombian flower growers.
According to estimates, no less than 500 million of stems will be exported, mainly to the United States --where Colombia sends 76% of its production-- and to countries in Europe.
Roses for Valentine's Day
A worker selects flowers at a farm in Nemocon, Colombia, Feb. 2, 2015.
Roses for Valentine's Day
A worker selects flowers at a farm in Nemocon, Colombia.
Roses for Valentine's Day
Workers prepare roses for export at a farm in Nemocon, Colombia, Feb. 2, 2015
Roses for Valentine's Day
A worker selects roses at a farm in Nemocon, Colombia.
Roses for Valentine's Day
Workers prepare roses for export at a farm in Nemocon, Colombia.
Roses for Valentine's Day
Roses for export at a farm in Nemocon, Colombia.
Roses for Valentine's Day
A worker measures flowers at a farm in Nemocon, Colombia, Feb. 2, 2015. The longer the stem, the higher the price.
Roses for Valentine's Day
View of packed roses at a farm in Nemocon, Colombia.
Roses for Valentine's Day
Workers prepare roses fro export at a farm in Nemocon, Colombia.
Roses for Valentine's Day
Workers prepare roses at a farm in Nemocon, Colombia.
Roses for Valentine's Day
A worker pulls a box with roses at a farm in Nemocon, Colombia.
Roses for Valentine's Day
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialist inspects flowers for foreign pests or diseases in the LAN Cargo center at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, Feb. 10, 2015.
As Valentine's Day approaches, Miami International Airport sees their daily flower shipments quadruple to 22 million flowers per day. During the rest of the year MIA handles more than 90 percent of all flowers imported to the U.S.
Roses for Valentine's Day
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialist inspects flowers for foreign pests or diseases in the LAN Cargo center at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, Feb. 10, 2015.
Roses for Valentine's Day
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialist holds a bottle with the coleoptera beatle that was found as he inspected flowers for foreign pests or diseases in the LAN Cargo center at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, Feb. 10, 2015.
Roses for Valentine's Day
Coleoptera beatles are seen in a tube after a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialist found them as he inspected flowers for foreign pests or diseases at the LAN Cargo center at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, Feb. 10, 2015.
Roses for Valentine's Day
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialist inspects flowers for foreign pests or diseases in the LAN Cargo center at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, Feb. 10, 2015.