By Lenis Rodrigues, Media Relations Blogger

Valentine’s Day is that time of year when love expresses itself in flowers, chocolate and wine. The Port of New York & New Jersey is right in Cupid’s bulls-eye as the Port ranked #1 in the country in 2015 as a major importer of flowers and cocoa.

The New York/New Jersey region relies on global trade to sustain the lifestyle of millions of its residents.  Nearly all the treats you taste, touch, smell and enjoy on Valentine’s Day make their way through the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Here are three top imports to ensure a romantic Valentine’s Day: 

1. Flowers: Last year alone, the Port of New York and New Jersey imported 6.6 million pounds of flowers from the Netherlands, which is the same weight as 277 grown-up elephants!  By the way, tulips are the new roses this year.  . .

2. Chocolate: A box of 26 pieces of chocolate weighs about a pound. Now consider that 83,760,127 pounds of raw cocoa came through the port in 2015 from the Netherlands, Malaysia and Spain.  What woman doesn’t like chocolate? Heavens, let me wipe away the drool.

3. Wine: Approximately 7.5 billion ounces of wine came through the port, which is the equivalent of 298 million bottles of wine from which to choose the perfect dinner complement.

The most important ingredient for a successful Valentine’s Day is Love.  So be sure to tell your partner how much you appreciate them.

XOXO