How Brexit Increases UK’s Demand for Kenyan Flowers

Kenya, especially its flower garden industry is experiencing a significant boost as the United Kingdom edges closer towards Brexit.

Brexit is an abbreviation for "British exit," referring to the U.K.'s decision in a June 23, 2016 referendum to leave the European Union (EU). 

The European Union's single market is a trade agreement between all EU member states which allows free movement of goods, services, capital and people from one EU member country to another.

It encompasses the EU's 28 member states as well as the exceptions Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

If Brexit comes to effect, the United Kingdom will cease to do business with many of its Europe partners. Brexit is a blessing in disguise for countries like Kenya who have products that will attract the United Kingdom to their markets.

As Britain prepares to leave the European Union, its ever-rising demand for freshly cut roses and flower will lead the country to Kenyan markets.

The United Kingdom imports $3bn worth of flowers every year from the Netherlands alone. Soon, all that demand may channel to Kenya.

That has given new hope to Kenyan English roses farmers, who will soon start doing business directly with partners from the United Kingdom.

Kenya is Africa's top flower exporter with an average of 360 tonnes exported daily.

It is the world's fourth-largest producer of cut flowers after the Netherlands, Colombia and Ecuador. 

In 2017, according to Horticultural Crop Directorate (HCD), a public corporation, the floral industry earned Kenya $823m, with Europe a significant market. 

Naivasha is a flower-rich town about 100km northwest of Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

According to the Kenya Flower Council, an association that represents cut-flower producers, there are more than 90,000 floriculture workers employed by over 300 exporters from Kenya.

The favourable all-year-round weather in Kenya supports the industry.

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Header Image Credit: The Real Flower Company

Research Credits: Aljazeera, The Sun UK, Osman Mohamed Osman