Kenya gears up to host floriculture expo from June 3

Speaking ahead of the floriculture expo, Christine Chesaro, Director of the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD), said that in 2024, Kenya earned KES 136 billion from horticulture exports, with flowers contributing 53%. Vegetables made up 17% and fruits 30%. Flowers remain the country’s top horticultural export.

The floriculture industry has to address several challenges, such as climate change, pests, and rising production costs. Despite such hurdles, Kenya did everything to meet strict EU requirements. Credit goes to authorities for adopting modern techniques for pest control. Chesaro noted that IFTEX 2025 will not only showcase Kenya’s production capabilities but also help expand market access.

Catherine Mukoko, COO of the Kenya Flower Council (KFC), said the floriculture expo comes at a critical time, with growing global demand for sustainability. She emphasized Kenya’s adherence to the KFC Flowers and Ornamentals Sustainability Standard (KFC FOSS), covering environmental care, social responsibility, and good agricultural practices.

It is expected that over 200 exhibitors are set to take part in the upcoming IFTEX 2025, an increase of 20% compared to last year. It reveals the bumper growth of flowers and progress of floral industries in the African nation, despite freight challenges. The organizer of the festival, Dickon Raamsdonk, said the floriculture expo is set to be significant for Kenya, which creates over 200,000 jobs, and more than 4 million people are engaged in this sector.