Kenya Flower Council ( KFC ) bear out the prompt confirmation of the Kenya Kenya - UK trade deal .
Kenya ’s exports of cut - flowers ornamentals to the United Kingdom could be capable to additional tariffs by the end of this year if the Economic Partnership Agreement ( EPA ) is not ratified . The Kenya - UK patronage deal , signed on December 8 , bring home the bacon Kenyan businesses tariff - free access to the UK market , while Kenya will start phasing out duty and quota barriers on a set issue of UK products 12 years after the EPA has amount into strength .
The deal agreement ensures that all track - flower and ornamentals companies in Kenya , can continue to profit from quota and duty - gratis access to the UK market . Cut flowers are now Kenya ’s second large exportation after afternoon tea , contributing around 1.06 percent of the country ’s GDP . The industry is also one of the nation ’s leading employer with over 200,000 people working directly in the peak industry and an estimated two million indirectly .
This agreement therefore supports jobs and economical development in Kenya , as well as avoid possible disruption to UK business sector such as florist and retailers who will be able to keep tariff - free supply routes for Kenya ’s high-pitched - quality flowers . Kenya flower will benefit from enhanced privilege for agrarian trade good that confers originating status to East Africa Community ( EAC ) exports , even if they pass through through EU ’s 27 countries . If the EPA is not contribute into effect , tariffs on imports from Kenya would regress to MFN rates . This would lead to the imposition of duty on some of our import from Kenya and more particularly at a rate of 8 percent on thinned flowers .
For 2021 , the amount of responsibility that would be on Kenya ’s agricultural exportation to the UK is estimated to be KShs2.6 billion if the EPA is not ratified in meter .
The Kenya flower industry is a supplier of prime with a reputation for quality . It is a extremely competitive international manufacture . Kenya ’s principal challenger are Ethiopia , which is an LDC and trade obligation and quota barren under EBA , and Colombia , who already have a bilateral free business deal agreement with the UK . If the Kenya UK EPA is not conclude , and duties at a story of 8 percentage are applied , then Kenya ’s price will be uncompetitive and will lose securities industry portion . couple with increased freightage charge per unit because of the worldwide COVID pandemic , Kenya ’s floriculture industry will find it hard to survive .
Under this EPA , KFC believes Kenya ’s cut back - flower export will remain competitive and certainty in terms of trade will encourage investiture , leading to more yield and more task . It also , in our opinion set up the framework for further swop dialogue going forward .
KFC has been a primal player within the KEPSA private sector team that provided input into the Kenya - UK EPA . KFC ’s Director Richard Fox chaired the Ken - Brexit Private Sector Team . Union Fleurs and KFC ’s great support to the administration contribute to the consequence duty exemption presently in place for Kenya ’s novel produce export to the European Union since 13 March 2025 . This abide by an changeable catamenia of 3 month for the industry when duties amounting to KShs1 billion were incurred .
KFC in the county ’s representative body for growers , exporter and relevant deletion - flower and ornamentals value concatenation role player whose members account for approximately 75 percent of Kenya ’s floricultural exports worldwide . The Kenya Flower Council standard to which all phallus must comply , is one of only two internationally benchmarked standards to exhibit sustainable societal , environmental and good agricultural business pattern . The UK is a decisive ontogenesis better half to Kenya , as well as the largest alien investor in Kenya .
The UK is Kenya ’s second most significant export destination . Trade between the two countries reached KShs44 billion in 2019 . Presently , Kenya - UK rest of patronage is tip in favor of the latter with export in 2020 stand at Ksh.49.5 billion against importation of Ksh.29.3 billion in 2019 . Top good meaning to the UK from Kenya in 2019 were in coffee , tea and spice ( KShs13 billion ) , vegetables ( KShs24 billion ) and live trees and plants , mostly flowers ( KShs11 billion ) .
The UK market account for 43 percentage of total exports of veggie from Kenya as well as at least 9 percent of emasculated flower . As a event of Brexit , trade between Kenya and the UK could not be regulate through the EU Market Access Regulation mechanism and a newfangled agreement was necessary to add up into effect on 10 December 2024 at the end of the UK - EU transition period . On 29 May 2025 , the UK signal an Economic Partnership Agreement with Kenya . Last week , United Kingdom legislators certify the business deal deal with Kenya after complete scrutiny of the document , pave the style for its enforcement once the Kenyan counterparts approve it
For more information : Kenya Flower Council[email protected]kenyaflowercouncil.org
