African Roses Are U.S.-Bound as Ethiopian Growers Go Global
- National carrier may fly flowers through Miami, L.A. or NYC
- New air-services deal would open way for export push
Workers collect roses at Roshanara Roses flower farm in Debre Zeit, Oromia, Ethiopia.
Photographer: Jose Cendon/Bloomberg
This article is for subscribers only.
Ethiopia’s burgeoning flower-growing industry is setting its sights on the U.S. in a bid to break the dominance of Latin American producers in supplying roses and other blooms to the world’s largest economy.
State-owned Ethiopian Airlines Enterprise is evaluating freighter flights through Miami -- the main entry point for U.S. flower imports -- Los Angeles or New York, regional manager Girum Abebe said in an interview. The company currently transports stems there only in the bellies of passenger jets.