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Kenya’s horticulture export earnings dropped by 11.2 percent in the first quarter of 2025, according to a report released Friday by the Central Bank of Kenya.
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The decline has been linked to a stronger Kenyan shilling and disruptions along the Red Sea trade route.
The report shows that the country generated KSh 40 billion (USD 309.4 million) in Q1 2025, down from USD 349 million during the same period in 2024.
Despite the revenue dip, export volumes rose to 216,429 tonnes, compared to 206,714 tonnes in the first quarter of 2024.
Horticulture remains one of Kenya’s top foreign exchange earners, with cut flowers, fruits, and vegetables making up the bulk of exports. Cut flowers continue to be the top revenue generator in the sector.
The first-quarter decline follows a broader downward trend. In 2024, horticulture earnings totaled USD 1.06 billion, down from USD 1.21 billion in 2023.
Principal Secretary for Agriculture, Paul Kipronoh Ronoh, explained that the appreciation of the shilling had made Kenyan exports more costly in international markets, reducing demand.
He also noted that the rerouting of shipments due to security issues in the Red Sea had led to longer transit times and increased airfreight costs, impacting the export of Kenya’s highly perishable goods.
Kenya’s main horticultural export destinations include the Netherlands and the UK in Europe, and China, India, and Kazakhstan in Asia.
