Kenya is known for the production of quality flowers and is among the top five globally producers and exporters of fresh cut flowers, especially roses at 70 percent.
In Africa, Kenya leads in both production and exports, with the main destination being Europe, mainly the Netherlands which takes up 47 percent of the flower exports while the UK and Germany takes 15 and 7 percent respectively and Middle East and Kazakhstan are among other emerging markets.
Speaking Wednesday during a media briefing on the upcoming International Floriculture Trade Expo (IFTEX) 2025, scheduled for the first week of June, Director of Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD), Christine Chesaro, said that in 2024, the export earnings in total for horticulture were Sh136 billion and out of this, 53 per cent was from flowers.
Chesaro added that 17 per cent were from vegetables and 30 per cent were from fruits, and this shows that flowers were still the leading export value of all horticultural exports, thus playing a critical role in the economy of this country.
She acknowledged that the country still had challenges including effects of climate change, cost of production, logistical challenges and pests and diseases.
The director however noted that, following the adoption of the systems approach in April, 2025 which was a requirement of the European Union regulations in managing the False Code Moth (FCM) pest, it continues to export to the European Union a big plus for the country.
“The systems approach is proving to be very effective, a challenge that we are surmounting, which can only help us to increase our production and exports to Europe and to other parts of the world,” she said.
Furthermore, Chesaro noted that the government was very much aware of the issue of freight capacity and that there was a national horticulture standing committee that has been tasked to look into the challenges facing the horticulture sector in general and the flower sector in particular, and one of the key things is looking at how to address the issue of capacity for exports.
Through such trade promotions as the IFTEX 2025, the Chesaro said Kenyan exhibitors will not only be looking at an increase in the produce but also looking at the green light given on exports to Europe and will be able to increase their exports.
The Kenya Flower Council (KFC) Chief Operations Officer (COO), Catherine Mukoko, said, for instance, this year’s IFTEX comes at a critical moment for both the industry and the planet, with the global floriculture sector facing numerous challenges, from climate change and rising production costs to increased demand for sustainable practices and transparency in the supply chain.
Kenya, she added, is not immune to these challenges but has been setting and monitoring compliance with rigorous standards under the internationally benchmarked certification scheme, the KFC Flowers and Ornamentals Sustainability Standard (KFC FOSS), which covers environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and good agricultural practices.
“Through our strategic partnerships, both local and international, we continue to invest in knowledge transfer, capacity building, and market access for growers, especially smallholders,” she said.
Mukoko explained that one of the key focus areas at this year’s IFTEX will be showcasing sustainability as a means of creating market access for members by paying attention to the role of digital transformation in floriculture, from blockchain-enabled traceability and climate-smart agriculture to e-commerce solutions that link Kenyan flowers directly to consumers abroad.
General Manager of Phytosanitary Services at the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), Isaac Macharia, said they want to increase investment in inspection of the flower produce before the same is exported in the external markets.
This he added, is geared towards ensuring high-quality flowers are locally produced and exported to the targeted markets.
“KEPHIS has intensified plans to facilitate online certification and has succeeded in registering all planting materials from external sources, and this has helped in curbing infected foreign materials from entering the local market,” he said.
Macharia called upon the international community to trust that they are going to get the best quality flowers since Kenya has put in place mechanisms to ensure they are able to check the flowers all the way from production to when the flowers leave and even when the flowers get to the market.
“We have also developed an online certification system that is accessible both locally and internationally, and this is where people can actually be able to request their documentation; they can request their inspection and their certifications,” he said.
He added that they were soon rolling out what the E-Phyto, where they will be going paperless, and by the time products leave the country, the particular document has been transmitted electronically to the international community, and they can actually be able to start the process,” Macharia said.
Macharia noted that they were also carrying out capacity building for the growers, ensuring they know exactly what was required of them to do their business, ensuring they know the market requirements, and also offering adequate inspections for the product before they leave the country.
International Flower Trade Exhibition (IFTEX) organizer Dickon Raamsdonk said the trade fair for the international fresh flower industry focuses on attracting international flower buyers to attend and buy more flowers.
“Kenya is one of the five largest flower-producing nations in the world, and the trade fair will have over 200 exhibitors, which is 20 percent more registered visitors than last year’s number, and this shows that the industry has managed to maintain its position, even managing to grow, despite all these bubbles and enormous shortage of freight capacity,” Dickson said.
Kenya is currently the fourth-largest exporter of cut flowers globally – and the number one exporter to Europe. But beyond the blooms lies an industry that sustains over 200,000 direct jobs, touches the lives of over 4 million Kenyans, and significantly contributes to the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
Next month’s 12th IFTEX Edition, which will take place at the Oshwal Center Nairobi from June 2nd to June 5th, will be a great moment to see the whole sector meeting and bringing Kenya’s flower industry to the next level, Dickson said.
By Wangari Ndirangu
