Bridal Section

By KAY S. PEDROTTI
Staff Writer

Flowers, candy, romantic getaways ... the bottom line is that Valentine's Day contributes enormous amounts of money to the United States economy.

It's not just the money you spend at the gift shop or drugstore. Hundreds of thousands of people are employed in making the candy, arranging the flowers, working the front desk at Niagara Falls hotels. The U.S. Census Bureau provides chapter and verse on the people behind the scenes who help you bring that smile to your Valentine.

For instance, nearly 30,000 florists who employ about 126,000 people supply our homes, churches and sweethearts with flowers in a year's time. The country produced $505 million dollars worth of cut flowers in 1996, not counting imports. Colombia is the leading foreign supplier of cut flowers to the U.S., with more than $312 million in blooms coming here in 1998.

Good news for chocolate addicts there are over 165 chocolate and cocoa-product makers in the U.S., with more than 10,000 employees. Their products can be used in the 700 factories making candy and confections, which collectively employ more than 53,000 folks in one of the country's best-smelling industries.

The $15 billion domestic chocolate output is not enough. Between January and October 1998, the U.S. imported $279 million worth of chocolate from Canada, the top foreign supplier of both chocolate and other kinds of candies.

Leading the country in producing candies and confections are Pennsylvania (ever heard of Hershey?) and New York, but Illinois employs more people in its candy-and-sweets industry, more than 11,500. Besides the drug, discount and grocery stores full of Valentine treats, buyers can browse through the nearly 5,000 shops around the country that specialize in candy, nuts and confectionery products.

Not surprisingly, Americans ate 27 pounds of candy per person in 1997. The economy must subsequently benefit from an increase in fitness centers, diet food products and wardrobe changes.

For a really good time on Valentine's Day, shred this article.

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