Flowers & plants by Air Freight to Kenya

Why flowers & plants by airfreight?

Cut flowers and plants have a shelf life of only a few days. Airfreight is not an option — it is the only option. Roses picked in Kenya on Monday must be in the auction in Aalsmeer by Wednesday. This is only possible via airfreight with a controlled cold chain.

The Netherlands is the world’s largest trading nation in cut flowers and Schiphol is the epicenter. Aircargo.nl has many years of experience with the specific requirements of flower transport: speed, cooling, phytosanitary documentation, and direct delivery to the auction.

Typical flower transport routes

• Kenya (roses, lilies) → Schiphol: multiple times per day
• Ecuador & Colombia (roses, chrysanthemums) → Schiphol via Miami or direct
• Ethiopia → Schiphol: growing cut flower sector
• Export Dutch flowers → US, Japan, Russia, China

Exporting to Kenya

Kenya is the economic powerhouse of East Africa and a strategic trade country for goods moving further into the region. Nairobi is the air freight hub of the region—with direct connections from Schiphol via KLM Cargo. The flight time is about 8 hours, making Nairobi one of the more accessible African destinations.

Kenyan Customs

Kenya uses an automated customs system (KESWS). Import duties vary by product category but average around 25% for finished goods. Certain sectors—particularly agriculture and local manufacturing—are protected by high tariffs. Food products require KEBS approval (Kenya Bureau of Standards).

Key Considerations

• All goods require a Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) for selected product categories
• Flight time ~8 hours; KLM Cargo operates frequent direct AMS–NBO flights
• Kenya is a member of the EAC (East African Community)—transit to Tanzania, Uganda, etc., is comparatively straightforward

Points of attention for flower transport

Cold chain

Flowers must be kept between 2–8°C throughout the entire transport. Any temperature interruption accelerates the aging process and reduces shelf life for the end customer. Aircargo.nl works exclusively with certified cool-chain handlers at Schiphol.

Phytosanitary requirements

A phytosanitary certificate is mandatory for importing plants and cut flowers from countries outside the EU. This certificate is issued by the plant health authority of the exporting country and confirms that the shipment is free from pests. Aircargo.nl routinely checks and processes all phytosanitary documents.

CITES

Certain orchids and exotic plants fall under CITES protection and require a CITES permit. Always contact us if you are unsure about the CITES status of your products.