Emirates cashes in on Valentine’s Day

With the demand for Kenyan flowers expected to peak this Valentine’s Day, Emirates SkyCargo has announced that it has reserved two additional charters to boost volumes transported to foreign markets.

Emirates says that it ferried 2,200 tonnes of flowers from Kenya in January 2019 and 27,000 tonnes of fresh flowers in 2018.

The two planes will be departing from Nairobi to the Netherlands and Sydney, Australia, the largest markets of Kenyan flowers.

In a statement to newsrooms, Emirates Cargo Manager for East Africa Saeed Abdulla said that the Horticultural Crop Directorate’s 2017 report which put the country’s floriculture revenue at Ksh82.4 billion is an indication of the huge market for the commodity which Emirates relies on for business.

Kenya is the lead exporter of rose cut flowers to the European Union (EU) with a market share of 38%, according to figures from the Kenya Flower Council.

An estimated 50% of exported flowers are sold through the Dutch Auctions, although direct sales to other countries are also growing.

READ: FEWER BEES IN FARMS MEANS LESS FOOD FOR KENYANS

Kenyan flowers are currently sold in more than 60 countries.

In the United Kingdom, supermarkets are the main outlets for Kenyan exports.

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Other produce such as fresh vegetables, green beans, fruits, and meat are also exported from Kenya to Britain.