Extract F

Kenya has an absolute advantage in cut flowers

In the UK, 80% of cut flowers come via the Netherlands, although a significant proportion come from Kenya. Some Kenyan flowers come straight to the UK on direct flights from Nairobi, where entire terminals at certain airports are dedicated to flights exporting flowers.

Kenya flower production has three major advantages over the Netherlands: areas of high altitude with cool nights, which many flowers benefit from, proximity to the equator for maximum hours of sunlight, and cheaper labour. This means an end to seasonal production and the beginning of a 365‑day‑a‑year absolute advantage. The Netherlands has cost advantages in machinery and transport equipment, not flowers.

Cut flowers are now Kenya’s second largest export after tea, contributing around 1% of the country’s GDP. They are also one of the country’s largest sources of employment, with over 100000 people working directly in the flower industry and an estimated two million indirectly.

(Source: adapted from: https://www.economist.com)