This archive report was first published on 8 July 2020.
Kenya's horticulture sector has shown resilience in the face of COVID-19 challenges, with exports earnings reaching KSh72 billion between January and May 2020.
According to Benjamin Tito, head of the directorate of horticulture, the sector's main market, Europe, imposed a lockdown that led to the cancellation of most orders. However, the sector has been supplying to a few countries at a relatively higher price.
Fruits earnings rose to KSh11 billion in the five months, up from KSh6 billion for the same period in 2019. Vegetables earnings also increased, reaching KSh10.5 billion from KSh10.1 billion last year. Flower earnings recorded a 4.2% increase, hitting KSh51.1 billion.
Despite the increase in earnings, the volumes of the produce declined 12% compared to the previous season.
Notably, the horticulture sector incurred a net loss of KSh8 billion in March 2020 due to the adverse effects of COVID-19. The flower industry was particularly hard hit, following the closure of the Dutch auction and suspension of exports to the EU, its largest market.
As the third-largest contributor of foreign exchange in Kenya, after diaspora remittances and income from tourism, the horticulture sector's performance is crucial to the country's economy.
