Flower exporters in Kenya have lost an estimated Sh724.4 million ($5.6 million) over the past two months due to cargo delays, crop spoilage and declining market prices, as rising air freight costs and global disruptions continue to squeeze one of the country’s key export sectors.
Exporters say persistent delays have led to late deliveries of flowers in key European markets. Given the highly perishable nature of the product, even short disruptions result in wilting, rejection or downgrading of shipments, leading to significant spoilage losses.
At the same time, inconsistent supply has weakened exporters’ bargaining power, forcing some to accept lower prices in international markets, particularly in Europe, where buyers reduce orders or negotiate discounts when reliability is affected.
‘The industry has already recorded losses estimated at over $5.6 million due to shipment delays, spoilage and reduced market prices,’ Kenya Flower Council Chief Executive Officer, Clement Tulezi told Business Daily.
‘In addition, overall production costs have increased by 20-30 percent due to simultaneous increases in fertiliser and fuel costs.’
The losses come amid a sharp escalation in air freight charges, which have risen by up to 110 percent over the past 12 to 18 months.
Exporters are now paying as much as $5.30 (Sh685.82) per kilogramme, up from about $2.50 (Sh323.50) in January last year.
‘The conflict in the Middle East has resulted in flight rerouting, reduced cargo capacity, longer transit times and higher operational costs for airlines,’ Mr Tulezi said. ‘Exporters are facing delays of up to 48 hours for highly perishable products.’
Mr Tulezi attributed the surge to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have disrupted major aviation routes, increased fuel consumption due to longer flight paths, and reduced available cargo capacity.
‘Air freight costs for Kenyan flower exporters have risen sharply over the past 12-18 months, with the most dramatic increase occurring since the escalation of the Middle East crisis and associated disruptions to global aviation routes,’ he said.
‘Historically, freight rates from Nairobi to Europe averaged between $2.50(Sh323.37) and $3.10(Sh400.98) per kilogramme. However, exporters are now paying between $5.00(Sh646.75) and $5.30(Sh685.55) per kilogramme, representing an increase of approximately 70 percent to 110 percent, depending on destination and carrier.’
He added that flower freighters, which rely heavily on Middle Eastern airspace and hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Saudi transit points, have been forced to take longer detours to avoid conflict zones, increasing both transit times and costs.
Some cargo is now rerouted via extended southern corridors, including detours around the Cape of Good Hope, adding thousands of nautical miles to journeys and increasing delays for time-sensitive shipments. Last year, flights moved more directly through Gulf and Red Sea routes.
The disruption has also triggered higher costs across the global logistics chain, with freight and shipping firms such as DHL and Maersk announcing price increases due to elevated fuel use, longer transit times and constrained capacity.
‘Middle East geopolitical tensions continue to disrupt Asia to Europe corridors and increase transit times and operational costs. Rates from Africa remain elevated due to persistent capacity shortages,’ DHL said.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), horticultural exports, including flowers, reached $1.11 billion (Sh143.8 billion) in 2025.
Cut flower export volumes rose from 102,500 tonnes in 2024 to 130,600 tonnes in 2025, while export value increased from $557.5 million to $628.4 million (Sh81.3 billion).
The flower industry remains one of Kenya’s top foreign exchange earners and a major employer, supporting thousands of jobs directly and indirectly.
However, stakeholders warn that sustained increases in freight costs could erode competitiveness against rival producers such as Ethiopia, Colombia and Ecuador.
Exporters are calling for urgent interventions to ease logistics costs and improve operating conditions, including expanded cargo capacity, reduced airport charges and faster processing of refunds and clearances.