Kenya leads in flower exports, says AfDB

Kenya is now a lead exporter of cut flowers to the European Union with a market share of about 38 percent, African Development Bank (AfDB) annual report for 2013 that was released recently reveals.

The report recognizes the country’s flower industry as one of the largest in the world and is a key foreign exchange earner.

“In 2013, exports from the cut flower sector are expected to reach some USD 1 billion, compared to USD 692 million in 2011,” notes the report.

Kenya’s cut-flower industry has performed well in terms of employment, attracting investment, and adoption of efficient production methods, and that the bulk of cut flower processing is done in Kenya and the industry now employs close to half a million people. The report notably, indicated that smallholder farmers in the flower industry tend to profit more than those in the tea and coffee sectors.

“The country has invested heavily in greenhouses, machinery, irrigation systems, and in cold storage facilities, this vertically-integrated value chain has allowed quick adjustment to market conditions and the rapid response to changing consumer preferences and international competition,” it notes.

The cut-flower business associations in the country have not only become strong industry lobbyists, but also act as important agencies of self-regulation, introducing codes of practice benchmarked to international best practices. The associations work closely with government in promoting an enabling environment for the development of the sector.

Source: Bron: Pesa Times > Hortibiz