How Kenyan fresh produce exporters will be affected by the UK flights ban from Kenya.

The aviation industry in Kenya has seen a downturn after the UK’s travel ban effective 9th April 2021.

In a startling and unprecedented turn of events, Kenya has issued a directive that will see all non-citizens coming in from the UK required to self-isolate for 14 days starting today before they are admitted into the country. This comes as passenger flights between Kenya and UK have been suspended indefinitely following one such flight’s arrival on Saturday morning with 189 passengers aboard who were quarantined upon disembarking.

The suspension was put in place after a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as quoted ‘‘From midnight on April 9 all passenger flights whether commercial or charter between Kenya sand UK will be suspended. The suspension will be reviewed by the government of Kenya within four weeks,”

The cargo hangar at JKIA is stuffed with goods from all over the world. Over 1.5 million Passengers fly here to connect flights and then continue on their journey around the globe, while freight companies use it for fresh produce that don’t require a whole freighter just to get there including fresh produce export companies like Kenya Fresh.

This is a big blow to the Kenyan Horticulture Industry, after a major financial blow last year after several key carriers pulled out of Nairobi following the outbreak of Covid-19, creating an extreme shortage in freight space. We will be awaiting the next statement after four weeks from the Kenyan government addressing an update.