Kenya says Russia-Ukraine conflict has dimmed flowers export

NAIRBI, Kenya April 17-The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has negatively impacted Kenya’s flowers export, according to the Kenya Flower Council, an industry lobby.

NAIROBI, April 16 (Xinhua) — The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has negatively impacted Kenya’s flowers export, said Kenya Flower Council (KFC), an industry lobby Friday.

Clement Tulezi, the chief executive officer of KFC, said that orders for cut flowers and ornamental plants to Russia and Ukraine have been canceled since February 24 when the conflict began.

“We have not been able to ship flowers and our fear is that we could lose the market if the Russia-Ukraine crisis is not resolved,” Tulezi said during a telephone interview with Xinhua.

According to KFC, Kenya exported to Russia and Ukraine cut flowers and ornamentals valued at approximately 18 billion shillings (about 155.86 million U.S. dollars) in 2021.

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics indicate that the east African nation exported approximately 210,000 tonnes of flowers worth USD952 million in 2021, making the fresh produce among the top foreign exchange earners alongside tea, diaspora remittances and tourism.

Tulezi observed that more than 70 percent of flower exports are sold to the European Union mostly through the Dutch flower auction.

“Our other key markets include Japan, Australia, China and the Middle East region,” he added.

He noted that flower growers, who were dependent on the Russian and Ukraine markets, are seeking alternative markets in order to remain afloat.

Ojepat Okisegere, the chief executive officer of Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya, said that flower exports to Russia were stopped when the country was excluded from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) payment platform.

“Our exporters can no longer receive payments from Russia hence we cannot sell to them,” Okisegere said.

He noted that the flower sector has also been affected by the Russian trade blockade as the country is also a key source of Kenya’s fertilizer imports.