Valentine’s gloom as cost of flowers set to rocket
City lovers will dig deeper in their pockets to impress their loved ones with bouquets of fresh flowers on Valentine’s Day.
This is after the Nairobi county government has raised fees for Valentine’s Day tents and display tables.
The fee for erecting a tent has been raised from sh500 to sh2,340, while the fee for display tables has also risen to sh2,925.
The Kenya Flower Council (KFC) expects the increased costs to be passed down to buyers.
Flower tents have been a feature in the central business district on Valentine’s Day since 2011.
Flower Vendors Association of Kenya chairman Simon Mwaura, in a statement, said the fee is too high and most vendors will stay away from the streets on Friday.
Mr. Mwaura added that while in the past they pitched the tents for three days, the few vendors who can afford the cost will only mount the flowers on Friday.
“The decision was made without considering that the vendors have been instrumental in branding Nairobi as the capital of the world’s best flowers on a day considered the best trade day for one of Kenya’s most valued exports,” said Jane Ngige, KFC Chief Executive Officer.