The exit from the European Union grants the United Kingdom the ability to purchase its flowers directly from flower farms across the globe at affordable and negotiated prices, thus bypassing the auctions/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 13 – Kenyan floriculture companies are upbeat about this Valentine’s period despite the general apprehensions following the United Kingdom’s implementation of the Brexit deal earlier this month.
This is according to Primarosa Flowers Limited Managing Director Bobby Kimani who says the exit from the European Union grants the United Kingdom the ability to purchase its flowers directly from flower farms across the globe at affordable and negotiated prices, thus bypassing the auctions.
The United Kingdom has been buying its flowers at the annual flower auction in the Netherlands approximately at US$3 billion per annum.
“The United Kingdom consumes a considerable number of Kenyan flowers and going forward, they will be in a position to purchase larger volumes at favourable prices directly from the source,” Kimani said.
Kenyan cut flowers are sold in more than 60 countries worldwide and at present, Kenya is the lead exporter of roses to the European Union commanding a global market share of about 38 percent.
About 50 percent of Kenya’s exported flowers are sold at the Dutch auctions.
After the Netherlands, Britain is the second-largest export destination for Kenyan cut flowers, buying nearly 18 percent of the flowers produced in the country.
Earlier this year, President Uhuru Kenyatta and the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson held talks which mainly focused on furthering the already strong ties between Kenya and the United Kingdom.
During their meeting in London, the Heads of State inter alia discussed trade relations between their respective countries in the aftermath of Brexit. Prime Minister Johnson seemed optimistic about trade and said that Kenya was recognized as a key partner in Africa.
He also expressed that while trade between the two countries has grown over the years, there is still room for expansion due to the increasing popularity of and growing demand for Kenyan products in the United Kingdom.
