Just in time for Valentine’s Day, trade dispute with Colombia threatens flower imports
President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 25% tax on imports from Colombia comes at a most inauspicious time: The wrangling over the South American country’s willingness to accept flights carrying deported immigrants is flaring up just three weeks before Valentine’s Day, and Colombia is America’s No. 1 foreign source of cut flowers.
But romantics may be spared from becoming victims of a trade dispute. The White House declared victory on Sunday, stating that Colombia had reversed itself and agreed to allow the flights to land, following Trump’s ultimatum to impose visa restrictions in addition to the steep tariffs on its longtime ally in South America.
The White House announced that tariffs on Colombian exports would be put on hold, yet visa restrictions on Colombian officials and enhanced customs inspections would remain “until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned.”
Earlier, Colombian President Gustavo Petro had rejected two Colombia-bound U.S. military aircraft carrying migrants. Petro accused Trump of not treating immigrants with dignity during deportation and threatened to retaliate against the U.S. by increasing Colombian tariffs on U.S. goods by 25%.
The Colombian government signaled late Sunday that the standoff was over: “We have overcome the impasse with the United States government,” stated Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo. “We will continue to receive Colombians who return as deportees, guaranteeing them decent conditions as citizens subject to rights.”
Though the U.S. is Colombia’s biggest export market, it accounts for just 0.5% of American goods imports, ranking as the world’s No. 26 importer of goods to the United States. From January through November, the U.S. ran a $1 billion surplus with Colombia in goods, with U.S. exports of $17.2 billion— which included soybeans and cotton— topping imports amounting to $16.2 billion.
Colombia’s Major Exports to the U.S.
Through November, the U.S. had imported $1.14 billion worth of cut flowers from Colombia, a significant increase from all of 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Colombia has an ideal climate and soil for growing flowers such as roses, carnations, and chrysanthemums. Much of the cultivation is centered in the savanna around the capital, Bogotá, where temperatures are mild, the sun shines for 12 hours a day, and the growing season lasts year-round.
U.S. government aid money has supported the Colombian flower industry, creating jobs for individuals displaced by terrorist- and drug-related violence. Colombia is also the United States’ No. 2 source of coffee, trailing only Brazil. The USDA reported that U.S. coffee imports from Colombia reached $1.4 billion during January-November 2024, which reflects a slight decline from the same period in 2023.
For decades, Colombian coffee has been marketed in the U.S. through advertisements featuring the fictional farmer Juan Valdez, often depicted carrying sacks of coffee beans. Colombia’s largest export to the United States is crude oil; through November, the United States imported 70 million barrels of crude oil from Colombia, worth nearly $5.4 billion. In 2023, the U.S. imported $5.6 billion worth of Colombian crude.
Colombia was the No. 6 source of imported crude oil to the United States, accounting for just over 3% of oil imports in 2023. The Colombian oil giant Ecopetrol appears on the Fortune 500 list of the world’s largest companies.
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As Valentine’s Day approaches, the resolution of the trade dispute can bring relief not only to those who see the holiday as a romantic occasion but also to the economy that relies on the import of Colombian flowers. It remains crucial to keep an eye on future trade relationships, ensuring that these essential imports continue flowing smoothly.
