The FASFC regularly carries out checks at Bierset airport. During this period close to Valentine’s Day, more than a billion flowers arrive by air in Belgium and sometimes carry many parasites with them.
It is one of the most popular flowers in the world and the favorite of lovers: on the eve of Valentine’s Day, true to its image, the rose takes first place among many florists.
“For many years, it has never changed”confirms Christophe Vandeputte, a Brussels florist.
Red, symbol of passion or white, symbol of purity: there are several hundred different varieties of roses. The rose likes to flirt with the sun and like many flowers, it is therefore grown abroad.
“In Belgium in general, there are 60% imports and 40% Belgian production”adds the florist.
These roses are imported from all over the world: from South America or Africa. They arrive in tons at Liège airport, the first gateway to the European continent. As always at this time of year, employees of the federal agency for the safety of the food chain will carefully inspect certain batches, check health certificates, check for the possible presence of bacteria or parasites, which are particularly harmful they manage to penetrate Belgian soil.
“There might be very harmful consequences on our cultures, and therefore on our environment, on our quality of life, but also on our economy”specifies Aline Van Den Broeck, spokesperson for the FASFC.
The case arose in 2021: the roses might not be distributed to the main suppliers. This week, no invasive organism was detected in the batches selected by the FASFC.
Each year, more than one and a half billion roses pass through Liège airport
