NAIROBI, Kenya, May 7 – Kenya is looking to grow its flower export market as she prepares to host the 11th International Flower Trade Exhibition (IFTEX) in early next month.
In a statement, IFTEX organizers announced that the expo will be held in Nairobi on June 4–6 and will attract buyers from over 75 countries.
Deck Raamsdonk, one of the event organizers, says the country’s selection reflects its dominance in flower growing and exportation in Africa, despite existing challenges bedeviling the global industry now.
“The flower industry is like fashion. Consumers are always looking for something new colors, shapes, names, stem lengths, and more,” he said.
In 2022, Kenya was ranked as the fourth-biggest exporter of cut flowers in the world, with six percent of global exports.
As of 2022, Kenya earned roughly Sh152.3 billion, or roughly $1 billion, with the export of fresh horticultural products.
Raamsdonk attributes the country’s dominance of the horticultural industry to its favorable geographical position astride the Equator, good tropical weather, different altitudes, and availability of labor.
“Owing to Kenya’s advanced flower production and logistics value chain, geographical position astride the Equator, good tropical weather, different altitudes, and availability of labor, among other factors, the country produces the highest range of quality mixes of flowers throughout the year making the nation a key supplier of flowers globally,” he stated.
