Kenya’s horticulture exports rise to $1.4bn in 2020

Kenya's horticulture export earnings have seen a remarkable rise to approximately $1.4 billion in 2020, defying the adversities brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CEO of the Kenya Flower Council, Clement Tulezi, shed light on the factors that drove this exceptional performance. Tulezi explained that the beginning of 2020 posed significant challenges due to the pandemic, with major markets in Europe shutting down and disruptions in logistics, especially air freight, causing losses in March and April. However, as Europe began to reopen around Mother's Day in May 2020, there was a notable uptick in demand and an improvement in logistics. This led to a surge in exports from Kenya, with June to December witnessing an impressive increase in exports. Tulezi credited the resilience and adaptability of growers and exporters, who utilized every available space and ensured sufficient volumes and quality to meet buyer demands. The result was a positive balance, with 2020 recording export earnings of 110 billion Kenya shillings, slightly higher than the previous year. Volume-wise, there was also an increase from 163,000 tons in 2019 to 171,000 tons in 2020, showcasing a strong performance.