Nairobi has once again become the global nerve centre of the floriculture trade, with the 13th International Flower Trade Exhibition — IFTEX 2026 — officially opening its doors to industry players, government representatives, and international buyers. Held under the theme “Shaping the Future of Floriculture,” the exhibition drew 210 exhibitors and hundreds of buyers from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, underscoring Kenya’s pivotal role in the worldwide flower trade.
Kenya’s commanding presence in the global flowers market was front and centre throughout the opening. The country holds Africa’s top spot as a flower exporter, leads the world in supplying roses to the European Union, and ranks third globally in cut flower exports overall. Beyond the prestige, the numbers tell an equally compelling story — the sector brings in roughly Ksh 110 billion in export earnings each year and provides direct employment to more than 200,000 Kenyans.
Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui addressed delegates and made clear that floriculture sits firmly on the government’s economic agenda. He described flowers as embodying “jobs and livelihoods, enterprise and innovation, foreign exchange earnings” for Kenya, and pledged that the state would continue working to upgrade logistics infrastructure and widen access to new markets. His remarks came even as the industry faces mounting pressure from rising freight costs and tightening regulatory requirements from key importing nations.
The strength of Kenya’s trade ties with Europe was underscored by the EU representative, who confirmed that Kenya accounts for more than 40 percent of all cut flowers imported into the European Union. That trade relationship is valued at over €500 million annually, making it a cornerstone of Kenya’s foreign exchange earnings and a partnership both sides have a clear interest in deepening.
Exhibition organiser HPP International and Kenya Flower Council leadership used the platform to press for a more future-proof approach to the business of flowers. They pointed to sustainable farming practices, carbon-conscious operations, and fairer distribution of value across the supply chain — from farmhands on Kenyan soil to wholesale buyers in far-flung markets — as non-negotiable priorities if the industry is to remain competitive in the years ahead.
As IFTEX 2026 gets underway, the gathering signals that Kenya is not content simply to hold its ground in global floriculture. With government commitment on logistics, a multi-billion-shilling export engine, and an industry-wide conversation about sustainability and fair trade, Kenya’s flower sector is positioning itself to shape — not merely participate in — the future of the global trade it has long helped define.
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