NAIROBI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The 13th International Flower Trade Exhibition opened Tuesday in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, highlighting market diversification and sustainable production.
The three-day event, themed "Shaping the Future of Floriculture," brought together 210 exhibitors and attracted thousands of global visitors, including flower buyers, growers, breeders, and consolidators from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
In his opening remarks, Lee Kinyanjui, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, said the expo has grown into one of the world's most important floriculture exhibitions, affirming Kenya's position as a global leader in flower production and trade.
He said that the flower sector has invested heavily in renewable energy, water conservation, integrated pest management, worker welfare, biodiversity protection and international sustainability certifications.
Dick van Raamsdonk, chief executive officer (CEO) of HPP International Group, the organizer of the exhibition, said that a record number of exhibitors signals enduring global confidence in Kenya's floriculture sector despite economic headwinds.
Clement Tulezi, CEO of the Kenya Flower Council, said that the industry is actively diversifying beyond traditional markets in Europe and Asia due to an increasingly volatile global environment.
Tulezi said that market diversification will serve as a vital buffer for the sector, shielding it from geopolitical volatility, supply chain bottlenecks and rising inflationary pressures. ■