This archive report was first published on 8 June 2020.
Kenya is set to contract foreign airlines to assist in shipping flowers and horticultural products, a move aimed at addressing the challenge of limited space within Kenya Airways cargo planes.
According to Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, the decision was made in response to the overwhelming demand to ship these commodities.
"This move will help us recover what we have lost so far," Munya said in a statement.
The move is expected to draw backlash from Kenya Airways, which had expressed concerns that Ethiopian Airlines would take a significant share of the business of shipping flowers, fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat to Europe.
Kenya is the lead exporter of roses to the European Union, and the industry employs some 150,000 people, indirectly supporting four million people, according to the Kenya Flower Council.
Several European countries, including Italy, France, Spain, and the Netherlands, have eased restrictions, allowing for the resumption of cargo flights.
Italy, for instance, announced on Wednesday that it had reopened to travelers from Europe, a move aimed at reviving its tourism industry.
Kenya reported its first case of the coronavirus in mid-March, leading to the closure of farms and the loss of thousands of jobs, including those of loaders at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
