BENGALURU: A staggering 29 million rose stems were shipped this Valentine’s season from the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) marking a massive increase over the 15.4 million rose stems despatched last year. The top international destinations were Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Kuwait, Manila and Sharjah while the top domestic destinations were Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Guwahati and Jaipur.
A release from the airport operator, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), said the rose stems weighed 12,22,860 kg.“This represents a remarkable 108% increase in the tonnage processed compared to the same period last year,” it said. This helped Bengaluru airport solidify its reputation as the No.1 for perishables in India, it added.
“The airport witnessed exponential growth in both international and domestic rose shipments, with 9 million stems bound for international destinations, marking a 14% increase over last year, and 20 million stems shipped domestically, reflecting a remarkable 148% increase,” it said.
Maintaining quality, temperature control, and ensuring faster turnaround times are critical to sustain a perishable item like rose.
Elaborating on the steps taken which have helped record this achievement, BIAL said, “Bengaluru airport has invested in real-time tracking to empower stakeholders to proactively address temperature excursions, ensuring the integrity of sensitive products. Advanced monitoring at dedicated cold chain centres guarantees an unbroken cold chain, translating into faster handling, enhanced security, and sustainable practice.”