Flowers & plants air freight from Canada to India

Why flowers & plants by airfreight?

Cut flowers and plants have a shelf life of only a few days. Airfreight is not an option — it is the only option. Roses picked in Kenya on Monday must be in the auction in Aalsmeer by Wednesday. This is only possible via airfreight with a controlled cold chain.

The Netherlands is the world’s largest trading nation in cut flowers and Schiphol is the epicenter. Aircargo.nl has many years of experience with the specific requirements of flower transport: speed, cooling, phytosanitary documentation, and direct delivery to the auction.

Typical flower transport routes

• Kenya (roses, lilies) → Schiphol: multiple times per day
• Ecuador & Colombia (roses, chrysanthemums) → Schiphol via Miami or direct
• Ethiopia → Schiphol: growing cut flower sector
• Export Dutch flowers → US, Japan, Russia, China

Exporting to Canada

Canada is one of the Netherlands’ key trading partners outside the EU — under the CETA trade agreement, nearly all Dutch goods benefit from preferential or zero-tariff import. Schiphol offers direct cargo flights to Toronto (YYZ) via Air Canada Cargo and KLM Cargo, with frequent connections to Montreal (YUL) and Vancouver (YVR). Cargo-to-cargo transit usually takes 8–12 hours.

Customs & Regulations

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) uses the CARM system (CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management). Importers must have a Business Number and a CARM Client Portal account. For most shipments, a commercial invoice, packing list, and — to apply CETA tariffs — a statement of origin are sufficient. Health Canada and CFIA registration requirements apply for food products, medical devices, and cosmetics.

Practical Tips

• Always state “CETA Statement of Origin” on your invoice for preferential import — this can reduce tariffs by 100%
• Take into account provincial sales tax differences (GST/HST/PST) when pricing
• English and French labeling may be required for consumer products in Quebec

Aircargo.nl works with established agents in Toronto and Montreal and handles the entire documentation chain — including CETA certification — for optimal throughput.

Importing from India

India is a leading producer of pharmaceutical APIs and generic medicines, textiles, precious and semi-precious stones, and IT hardware. The Indian pharma industry supplies hundreds of Dutch and European importers—and air freight is the standard mode for time-sensitive pharmaceutical raw materials.

Specific Points of Attention

• Pharmaceutical APIs require GMP certificates and European registration
• Precious stones and jewelry require detailed valuation statements and proof of insurance
• Textiles may be subject to anti-dumping measures—check the HS code

Aircargo.nl supports importers through European customs clearance of Indian goods and ensures all required certificates are in place.

Canada as a Cross-Trade Destination

Schiphol serves as an important European hub for cross-trades headed to Canada. Many shipments from Asia or the Middle East are routed through AMS to YYZ or YVR due to excellent cargo connectivity and predictable customs procedures. Air Canada Cargo and KLM Cargo provide frequent connections.

Aircargo.nl has agent relationships in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver and can coordinate complete cross-trade routes — including CARM registration and Canadian customs clearance — without the shipment physically entering Dutch territory.

Points of attention for flower transport

Cold chain

Flowers must be kept between 2–8°C throughout the entire transport. Any temperature interruption accelerates the aging process and reduces shelf life for the end customer. Aircargo.nl works exclusively with certified cool-chain handlers at Schiphol.

Phytosanitary requirements

A phytosanitary certificate is mandatory for importing plants and cut flowers from countries outside the EU. This certificate is issued by the plant health authority of the exporting country and confirms that the shipment is free from pests. Aircargo.nl routinely checks and processes all phytosanitary documents.

CITES

Certain orchids and exotic plants fall under CITES protection and require a CITES permit. Always contact us if you are unsure about the CITES status of your products.