Horticulture Export Earnings Hits Ksh.104 Billion in Eight Months

The rise in flower exports led to an increase in horticulture earnings by a third in the first eight months of 2018.

According to data from the Kenya Bureau of statistics, horticulture earnings rose to 104 billion shillings compared to 78.2 billion shillings in 2017.

Flower exports brought in 76.9 billion shillings from sales of 105.3 million metric tonnes in the period, a 38 percent rise from the 55.6 billion shillings earned up to August 2017.

Vegetable earnings rose by 9.6 percent to 16.9 billion shillings, from 50,000 tonnes sold in the period in 2017 where exporters earned 8.7 billion shillings from 57,000 tonnes sold.

Also Read: Value of Imports Grew By 8.8% in Second Quarter of 2018 – KNBS

The country also earned 10.1 billion shillings from 61,500 tonnes of fruit exports, with this category recording the highest rate of growth at 41 percent compared to the 7.2 billion shillings earned in the eight months to August 2017.

Apart from the recent launch of direct flights to the US, the exports have also been boosted by improved rains this year, after they were affected negatively in 2017 by drought and reduced economic activity due to political tension.

Kenya is the third largest flower exporter globally, with a 25 percent share of the European Union market ahead of Israel and Colombia at 16 percent each.