Nairobi — The UK has today removed an eight percent global tariff on Kenya's cut flowers, opening a huge market for local growers.

This means that flowers exported to the UK from Kenya as well as from other countries such as Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania will enjoy a zero tariff.

The British High Commission in Nairobi said that the duty suspension will remain in place for two years, until June 30, 2026.

It added that the deal seeks to increase trade and strengthen the economic relationship between the UK and the region.

The removal of the tariff will also boost UK consumers, who will enjoy affordable products, the embassy said.

"The UK's relationship with East Africa is rooted in mutually beneficial trade. This additional flower power will allow trade to bloom," the UK's Trade Commissioner for Africa, John Humphrey, said.

"We go far when we go together...or in this case, we grow far when we grow together, further reinforcing the UK's commitment to the expansion of trade in East Africa," he added.

In 2022, Kenya was ranked as the fourth-biggest exporter of cut flowers in the world, with six percent of global exports.

Ethiopia is the second-largest cut flower producer in Africa, making up 23 percent of sub-Saharan African exports.

In 2023, the value of trade in cut flowers between the UK and Ethiopia was valued at £12.6m, Rwanda at £727,000, £839,000 from Tanzania, and £1.1m from Uganda.

"Total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and Kenya was £1.4 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q3 2023, an increase of 11.1% or £140 million in current prices from the four quarters to the end of Q3 2022."

In 2023, around 400 UK VAT-registered businesses imported goods from Kenya.