Flowers hold a special place in our hearts, captivating us with their beauty, bringing joy to everyone who sees them, and conveying emotions that words sometimes fail to express. However, at specific times of the year, they experience a surge in demand, such as Mother’s Day and holidays, when flowers are a particularly common gift among loved ones. Is there anything more beautiful than sending a bouquet of fresh flowers to express our appreciation for those we love?
These times of the year witness a significant increase in the volume of flower import trade in the Kingdom in preparation for the expected rise in sales. However, the journey begins early. In the distant farm with vibrant flowers, farmers’ hands carefully tend to these roses. As important occasions approach, the flowers embark on a wonderful adventure, traveling across continents to reach their destination in the lands of the Kingdom.
Behind every one of these roses is a vast network of workers from all over the world, starting from the farmer, supplier, customs broker, importer, and distributor. Everyone collaborates to transport the flowers from the field to the vase within days.
However, the biggest obstacle facing those in the flower trade is the precise planning of flower shipments and ensuring that this time-sensitive commodity arrives in the Saudi market intact and without delay.
This challenge puts significant pressure on importers to ensure that buyers’ requests are met during peak seasons so that every buyer receives the bouquet they want to give to their loved ones. Addressing this challenge means ensuring that the large volume of the shipment does not cause the rose’s freshness to deteriorate during transport, thus guaranteeing its safe arrival at the flower shop and then into the buyer’s hands.
What are the methods for importing flowers?
Developments in transportation networks in recent years have improved the infrastructure for shipping a sensitive product like flowers, which has ensured that cut flower supply chains are provided with everything they need during peak demand times. Many flower importers prefer to use air freight to transport flowers from long distances, especially when time is a critical factor, as flowers are transported in specialized cargo planes or within dedicated cargo compartments for products on passenger planes.
The other less common method for transporting flowers is sea freight, which is usually used for larger shipments or when time is not a very critical factor in transportation. Flowers are stored on ships in refrigerated or temperature-controlled containers to ensure their preservation during the journey. The cost of sea freight is also lower than the cost of air freight for flowers, especially considering the large size of the shipment.
How to get a flower shipment with the highest quality and without delay?
No more than three days should pass between harvesting the flowers from the farm and their arrival in the home vase in the Kingdom. Therefore, a carefully planned shipping journey is necessary, along with expertise in handling time-sensitive goods throughout the import journey. Additionally, it should be considered that demand is high but short-term, meaning it increases significantly for a very short period and then returns to normal levels. Consequently, the shipment volume is one of the important factors to consider. Below are the most important requirements that should be paid attention to to ensure full compliance with the increase in flower imports during occasions:
Packaging Care
Care for flower packaging is no less important than care for temperatures. Therefore, flowers should be stored during shipping in protective containers such as boxes or cartons to protect them from damage. Telescoping boxes are commonly used for packing flowers due to their suitable dimensions for the shape of flowers, as they are thin and long rectangles and consist of two parts, outer and inner, each adjustable to fit long products of different lengths. Therefore, they are ideal during seasons due to the variety of flower types in a single shipment. Insulating materials, cushions, and water-absorbing materials may also be used in packaging to protect flowers from excessive moisture.
Temperature Control
Flowers are greatly affected by temperature fluctuations, as they quickly wilt and dry out if not kept in a suitable climate due to moisture loss. With the increase in shipment volume and the variety of flower types shipped, the appropriate temperatures for each type vary. Therefore, care should be taken to transport each type at its appropriate temperature. This means shipping flowers in containers that are easy to control the temperature to maintain an ideal environment throughout the transportation process. Customs Clearance
Products shipped from abroad first pass through customs before being received by the importer, and given the importance of delivery time during seasons and holidays, it becomes necessary to coordinate in advance with a professional customs broker to complete the release of the flower shipment from the customs department. The customs clearance company Border Support specializes in customs clearance for time-sensitive products like flowers, so if you want to receive your flowers smoothly from the airport, contact us to prepare the necessary requirements and documents before the shipment arrives and to ensure full coordination with customs.
In conclusion, on Mother’s Day, holidays, and various occasions, all flower import traders strive to receive their shipments safely, quickly, and continuously, which makes it necessary to consider the prerequisite requirements needed to get through these seasons with the highest sales and best quality. These requirements include appropriate packaging, temperature control, and rapid customs clearance. We hope this article helps you have a successful sales season for your flower business.
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