JD.com has announced the import of one million tulips from the Netherlands to meet the booming demand for fresh flowers in China, especially during peak festive seasons.

This marks the largest-ever direct air shipment of Dutch tulips by any company to China.

The e-commerce giant said the shipment of fresh-cut tulips from the FloraHolland auction center in Aalsmeer, the world's largest and busiest floral marketplace, arrived in Guangzhou, China, on February 27.

The tulips will then be stored, and deliveries facilitated by a dedicated floral warehouse operated by JD Logistics, the logistics arm of JD.com.

 [Source: JD.com]

The Netherlands is the world's largest producer and exporter of flowers, which helps supply China's expanding flower retail market.

According to the China Flower Association, in 2023, China's flower retail market reached 216.58 billion yuan (about US$30.92 million), with online sales accounting for more than 50% of the total market volume.

"The growth of e-commerce and cold chain logistics has further fueled the demand for imported flowers in China," JD.com said in the announcement.

Citing data from the General Administration of Customs, JD.com noted that China's flower imports reached €260 million in 2023 from 57 countries and regions, with the Netherlands being the largest supplier with more than 60% of the total.

JD.com saw tulip sales surge 20 times in 2024 compared to the previous year.

"Given the perishable nature of fresh flowers, maintaining precise temperature control is critical throughout the supply chain," it added.

Throughout the transport, the e-commerce giant said JD Logistics maintained strict temperature controls between 2-8 ℃, leveraging advanced monitoring technology to ensure the tulips remained in peak condition until they reached consumers.