Love in the air: Bengaluru airport ships more than 60 million roses globally this Valentine’s season

Bengaluru airport

As the Valentine’s season drove peak global demand for fresh roses, Bengaluru airport shipped around 60 million rose stems, weighing more than 2,700 metric tonnes (MT), across 26 international and 47 domestic destinations.

“This marks a 38 percent year-on-year increase in stem volumes and a 64 percent rise in tonnage, reinforcing Bengaluru airport’s position as India’s leading gateway for perishable exports for five consecutive years,” Bengaluru International Airport Limited said in a statement.

International shipments remained steady at 305 MT, with Singapore emerging as the top overseas destination, followed by Kuala Lumpur, Abu Dhabi, New York and Kuwait.

New international destinations added this season include Los Angeles, London Gatwick, Dallas Fort Worth, Toronto and Orlando.

On the domestic front, 2,402 MT of roses were transported, recording a 79 percent year-on-year increase in tonnage. Delhi and Kolkata continued to anchor demand, while Guwahati, Mumbai and Jaipur maintained strong throughput. Notably, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Lucknow recorded over 150 percent growth compared with last season.

“This momentum is further supported by Bengaluru airport’s expanded cargo infrastructure, ensuring freshness, speed and temperature precision. The state-of-the-art cold chain facilities, equipped with real-time tracking and advanced technology, safeguard every shipment by proactively managing temperature fluctuations to enable seamless storage, handling and transport,” the statement said.

“These investments further strengthen Bengaluru airport’s position as a key cargo gateway, supporting the movement of high-value shipments during peak demand cycles. By enhancing efficiency, security and turnaround performance, the airport is well placed to meet growing global demand while ensuring reliable, end-to-end connectivity to domestic and international markets,” it added.