Kenya: Oversupply leaves roses unsold

"It has been dry and warm over the last months in Kenya, so many farms were in high production. This results in an oversupply of flowers on the auction", says Kenyan flower grower Mohan Choudhery of Black Tulip. "I've heard that more than a million rose stems were not sold at the auction in the Netherlands last week. So, the prices are very low at the moment", he says.

Mohan Choudhery at the IFTEX in Nairobi, Kenya last year.

Extremely low prices
It is low season and the prices are usually low during the first two weeks of April, but this year they might have reached the bottom. "About four years ago, at the auction farms received between 44 and 48 euro cents for highland roses. Now, the prices decreased to 30-35 euro cents for the same rose", says Choudhery. However, not only the prices at the auction are under pressure, but also in direct sales the prices are lower. "We have to deal with a huge oversupply, so everybody is under pressure", he says.

Mother's Day
Mother's Day is the first holiday that could increase the demand, and also the prices. "Fortunately the growers are always optimistic, but the time will tell. Hopefully the prices will go up, but you never know."

Black Tulip
Black Tulip is situated in Nairobi, Kenya and grows Fairtrade roses, spray roses, gypsophilas, Chrysanthemums, Lilies and Alstroemerias on an area of 150 ha. They supply the majority of their flowers directly to countries all over the world. "Since the very beginning, our philosophy is to supply flowers directly. Currently about 99.9 percent of our flowers are sold directly. Many retailers are interested in our Fairtrade flowers", says Choudhery. Their main market is the Middle East.

For more information
Black Tulip

Mohan Choudhery
Email: m.choudhery@bth.co.ke
www.blacktulipflowers.com