Inside Kenya’s nascent summer flower revolution
By Clifford Akumu
Kenya has proved to be a giant in global flower production thanks to its good equatorial climate and weather patterns coupled with a host of favourable conditions.
Indeed, the East African economic powerhouse is the leading cut-flower producer in the African continent. It’s also the third-largest producer of these flowers globally. Colombia and Equador also enjoy ideal climate conditions making them giants in floriculture production. Despite emergent challenges like high taxes and input costs threatening the multi-billion flower sector, the sector continues to exhibit a growth trajectory. Although Kenya is known as a leader in roses, the cultivation of summer flowers is steadily shaking the country’s floral portfolio.
Summer flowers’ cultivation has gained momentum in recent years in Kenya with small-scale growers taking the lead. Experts in the sector term it “an exciting expansion” poised to push the flower export volumes. The revolution is being powered by small-scale flower growers who say it’s easier and cheaper to manage than roses which have to be grown under special conditions in greenhouses and on a large scale to break even.
Experts in the flower industry say this growth is poised to boost the volume of flowers produced in Kenya in the coming years as more small-scale farmers embrace flower farming.
Clement Tulezi, Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Flower Council foresees summer flowers becoming a big trend in Kenya’s flower industry shortly.
“As a country, we have always emerged as a prominent player in the global fresh-cut flower industry. However, there is a a huge potential for the country to further expand its participation by offering a differentiated range of products of diversified summer flowers,” Mr Tulezi said in a separate interview.
Summer flowers and other varieties are now gradually emerging as popular varieties that the country supplies to the international markets. Kenyan flower farms such as Horaizo Blooms Limited, are investing in summer flowers to diversify their product range and cater to the ever-changing demands of the international markets.
George Kamunge, sales manager at Horaizo Blooms Limited a specialist in summer flower cultivation noted, “Most of the summer flowers are grown in the open field hence it requires low investment compared to roses. Another advantage is that summer flowers can grow in any climatic conditions in Kenya.” Mr Kamunge explains that the demand for summer flowers after the COVID-19 pandemic has grown. “After the Covid-19 pandemic, the market has been growing. And the demand has always been there, farmers just need to practice good timings on what to grow and when.” He adds that summer flowers are suitably used as fillers in floral bouquets.
“Flower bouquets with summer flowers in them tend to be unique and loved by customers,” noted Kamunge. Summer flowers are grown in an open field under a shade that can be made of nets or polythene bags, unlike a greenhouse-which calls for a total closure.
In 2021, floriculture earned Kenya Ksh 11 billion affirming its great contribution to the country’s GDP. The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia were Kenya’s leading destinations for cut flowers during this duration between 2020 and 2021.However, the Economic Survey report released in June 2023 by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics(KNBS) showed that horticulture export earnings dropped to Ksh152.2 billion in 2022 from Ksh165.6 billion in 2021.
Most of Kenya’s cut flowers, fruits, and vegetables are exported to the UK and European Union Countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, and France. Interestingly, however, Kenya is now eyeing new markets such as Far East Asia and the Arabian Gulf as it moves to cut the over-reliance on the European market.
Mr Fred Kisumo, Crop and Technical Manager at Kenya-based rose breeder, United Selections explains that summer flowers often fetch premium prices due to their unique and exotic nature.
These varieties, he adds, help Kenyan flower farms to tap into a niche market-which in turn results in increased income.
Kisumo further explains that summer flowers such as Daisies, with their delicate white petals and golden centre, symbolize innocence and purity. These charming blooms evoke memories of carefree summer days and a sense of childlike wonder.
Summer flowers come in different types and varieties. Floral designers across the globe are constantly looking for these blooms to add a touch of uniqueness to floral designs and arrangements. These types of flowers can be mixed with other flowers to make a bouquet.
Galaxy Flowers, based in Nyahururu-Laikipia County is another player in this category that has stood the test of time. Established in September 2013, the summer flower grower now has a total of 19 varieties to its name.
Some of the varieties that Galaxy Flowers grows include; Limonium Pina Colada, Gypsophilla Excellence, Limonium Safora Dark Blue, Rainbow Gypso, Limonium Dark Pink, Veronica White, Pink, and Blue among others.
Due to the proximity to the equator, Galaxy Flowers enjoy 12 hours of sunshine throughout the year guaranteeing customers high quality, thick stems, and long vase life.
Another player in this nascent sector is Scog Flowers, which is a small-scale flower farm based in Njambini, Central Kenya on the slopes of the Aberdare Ranges that deals with the production, marketing, and sales of summer flowers and seedlings.
Scog Flowers grows different summer flower varieties including; hypericum, alstroemeria, agapanthus, Craspedia, lily, Ornithogalum, green dianthus barbatus balls,ammi visnaga, and statice among others.
And just like the rose flower scene, the summer flower sector has had a fair share of challenges. Mr Kamunge explains that people dealing in summer flowers are mostly small-holder farmers and hence do not possess the resource muscle to expand production.
“There are several government restrictions before you start operating a flower farm, for example, you are required to acquire so many licenses, and shipment documents, before exporting flowers. And then there is the challenge of paying cess fees to the county every time we have a shipment,” noted Mr Kamunge.
Mr Tulezi concurs that although there is growth in the sector, “At the moment, the flower sector is in a kind of unstable equilibrium state”.
He notes that there is a need to address these drawbacks to keep the country’s floriculture competitive.
