The United Kingdom on Thursday allowed countries from the East African region to export flowers tax-free until 2026.
The UK High Commission said in a statement released in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, that the country had temporarily removed global tax for cut flowers, to make trade easier and cheaper for growers in East Africa and beyond.
“Unlimited quantities of flowers can now be exported to the UK at 0 percent tariff even if they transit via a third country. This is particularly important for East African flower growers who transport their blooms via third countries or auction houses before they arrive in the UK,” it said.
The East African countries expected to benefit are Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
Kenya was the fourth largest exporter of cut flowers to the world in 2022, followed by Ethiopia, the second largest producer in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the High Commission.
The tax incentive saves Kenya’s exporters more than 1.5 billion shillings (about 11.55 million U.S. dollars) annually, the High Commission said.
XINHUA
