02-06-2025
How Trump tariffs have hit Kenya's vital flower sector?
Kenya's floriculture sector, known for its premium roses, carnations and summer flowers, is grappling with hurdles as it seeks to expand beyond the traditional European markets and break into the lucrative United States market.
Kenyan flower growers and exporters, who were looking to the American market as their next frontier, found it largely closed off by geopolitical tensions, trade barriers and, now, US President Donald Trump's protectionist tariffs.
This year, growers had planned to showcase their products directly to US buyers at a flower exhibition in Miami, aiming to reduce reliance on European middlemen and establish direct supply lines. But those efforts have stalled.
The planned Miami showcase, designed to connect Kenyan and African flower growers directly with US buyers, was postponed in the wake of the new tariffs.'We were already preparing, but the import barriers made it impossible. We had to cancel the Miami show,' said Dick van Raamsdonk, organiser of the International Flower Trade Exhibition (Iftex). 'You know what's happening with Trump tariffs.''Trump-era policies made visas harder, and while that's not the biggest barrier, it's definitely an annoying one alongside the US import hurdles,' he added.
In March, President Trump imposed a 10 percent reciprocal tariff on all Kenyan exports to the US, adding yet another layer of complexity to the country's efforts to break into the American market.
The US represents a huge untapped opportunity for Kenya. But the Trump-era tariffs introduced as part of a broader push to 'level the playing field' in global trade and retaliate against Kenya's own 10 percent tariff on US imports has compounded existing challenges.
Kenyan flowers, which have previously benefited from duty-free access under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), now face steeper costs and reduced competitiveness.
Even before recent political tensions, US importers have historically shown little initiative to look beyond traditional suppliers, Ecuador and Colombia.'For Americans, importing directly from Africa feels like too much hassle. They see Europe as faraway already, Africa is even frther in their minds,' Mr Raamsdonk said. 'They're conservative buyers. They like things to come to them. That's why we said, fine, we'll bring Kenya to them.'Raamsdonk hopes to reschedule the Miami showcase to next year, betting on more favourable trade conditions.'We're not giving up. We're planning to hold the show next year, hoping for better times, especially for fresh produce. We're optimistic the tariffs will eventually go down, and we'll be able to bring African flowers and growers to the US,' he said at a press briefing ahead of the 12th edition of the Nairobi Iftex show, scheduled for June 3–5 at the Visa Oshwal Centre in Nairobi. Some 200 exhibitors are expected at the show.
Beyond the US, Kenyan exporters also face difficulties in other potential markets, including Asia and the Middle East, where competition, regulations and logistics create additional barriers.
A major leap forward has been its adoption of the 'systems approach' mandated under new European Union regulations for managing False codling moth, which officially came into effect on April 26.
This strategic shift, according to Christine Chesaro, acting director of the Horticultural Crops Directorate at Kenya's Agriculture and Food Authority, has ensured Kenyan farmers remain compliant and competitive in Europe.'Maintaining access to these premium markets is critical, while emerging markets like the Middle East, Kazakhstan and the US are signalling fresh opportunities beyond Europe,' she said.'As Kenya strengthens its technical and regulatory frameworks, industry leaders are optimistic that the systems approach will not only secure current markets but open doors to new ones, positioning the country as a global floral powerhouse,' she added.
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