Two African countries have seen significant growth in their share of the global flower trade, with positive impacts for airlines transporting these perishable products.
The value of the trade in fresh flowers transported by air has risen spectacularly over the past two decades.
There has been a steady increase in airline revenues from carrying fresh flowers over the past 21 years.
IATA reports that the aviation sector saw revenue grow from USD 852 million in 2003 to USD 3.7 billion in 2024. This represents an increase of over 400%.
EXPANDING GLOBAL FLOWER TRADE
As the global flower market has grown there has in fact been a noticeable shift and concentration among its participants.
This is particularly evident for countries in the global south, including one nation in South America and two in Africa.
FLOWER-IMPORTING COUNTRIES
In 2003, flower imports were dominated by the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany – with shares of total imports of 66.3%, 12.1%, and 4.4% respectively.
In 2024, the United States imported 53.6% of the total, followed by the Netherlands at 31.2% (a main distribution centre for flower re-exports) and the United Kingdom now behind, at 5.5%.
FLOWER-EXPORTING COUNTRIES
Colombia was the lead exporter of flowers in 2003 with a 50.2% market share. This was followed by Ecuador at 16.2% and the Netherlands at 8.9%.
However, Colombia’s share dropped to 42.3% in 2024. And, developing countries including Ecuador and Kenya have expanded their market share over the past 2 decades.
Ecuador’s share rose from 16.2% to 26.1% while Kenya’s share of the global market has grown from 8.6% to 16.1%. This is particularly important as the number of Kenyans finding economic opportunity in the cultivation of flowers has increased significantly over two decades.
An African country, Ethiopia, is a new entrant into the market. Its share of the global flower market came in at 5.5% in 2024.
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WHAT IS DRIVING THE SHIFT IN FLOWER TRADE?
Two key factors contributed to this shift.
First, trade agreements reducing tariffs and barriers have led to increasing exports and opening markets for developing nations.
Second, developments in air cargo, including improved refrigeration and logistics have ensured that flowers remain fresh, thus enabling the seamless global distribution of large volumes of fresh flowers.
BENEFITS OF FLOWER TRADE FOR AFRICAN AIRLINES
African carriers such as Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines stand to benefit from this growth in the global flower trade.
Air transportation is key to the global distribution of perishable items such as fresh flowers. However, it facilitates the trade in all kinds of perishable goods.
Significantly, the growth of the flower market has important impacts for countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia.
It stimulates economic growth as well as creates job opportunities in these countries.
