ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 8. Kazakhstan has imported 149.8 million flowers worth $61.1 million in 2023, which is 29 percent more than the same period in 2022 ($47.3 million), Trend reports.
According to the Ministry of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan, the main countries supplying flowers to the Kazakh market are Ecuador, the Netherlands, Kenya, and Colombia.
The largest volumes of imports come from Ecuador; Kazakhstan purchased $37.5 million worth of flowers here. Deliveries from the Netherlands for 2023 amounted to $13.1 million, from Kenya to $4.8 million, and from Colombia to $3.4 million.
At the same time, significantly lower volumes of imports are recorded from China (by $592,300), Israel (by $467,400), Uzbekistan (by $393,200), and Russia (by $356,700).
Suppliers of small flower lots to Kazakhstan also include Ethiopia, Türkiye, Italy, Chile, South Africa, Belarus, Germany, France, Malaysia, and Spain.
In addition, roses were in the greatest demand among Kazakhstanis. Last year, they were imported in the amount of 112 million pieces worth $40.2 million. Chrysanthemums were purchased in the amount of 15.8 million pieces for $7.6 million. Imports of lilies slightly exceeded 3.3 million pieces, worth almost $1.5 million. Then there are carnations; over 6 million of them were imported for $1.2 million, and orchids—116,600 pieces for $210,200.
Over the past three years, flower deliveries from Kazakhstan have been steadily carried out to Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, and in 2023, a small amount was also exported to China.
In total, in 2023, Kazakhstan exported flowers worth $2.7 million to neighboring countries, of which exports to Russia amounted to $2.5 million. Flowers worth $80,800 were supplied to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan (55,500), and China (3,300).
Compared to the first eleven months of 2022, flower sales abroad decreased by 16.3 percent, or $517,000.