This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
On the road to recovery, Kenya's flower farms are now facing a new challenge: meeting the rising demand of flowers in the European Union market. According to the Kenya Flower Council, the sector was on the path to recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic led to a collapse of the market, resulting in losses of over Sh10 billion.
As the country exports over 80 per cent of its floriculture products, a significant increase from 30 per cent during the pandemic, the council is calling for increased cargo planes to meet the growing demand. The council's Chief Executive, Clement Tulezi, stated that freight charges remain a major hindrance to the sector, which employs over 150,000 people directly.
Despite the high freight charges, farmers are exporting over 500 tonnes of flowers daily, with each kilo costing Sh237 ($2.2), a rise from Sh160 ($1.5) before the pandemic. Tulezi emphasized that the sector can increase its exports to near 100 per cent if more cargo planes are available and freight charges are lowered.
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On the Collective Bargaining Agreements, Tulezi admitted that reviewing workers' salaries this year would be impossible. The Agricultural Employers Association, led by Chief Executive Wesley Siele, is in negotiations with the State and Cotu to postpone pay negotiations.
