DAR ES SALAAM - Despite the impact of the credit crunch that spawned a global downturn, Tanzania has been listed among the top 10 suppliers of flowers to the European Union (EU), in the year 2008/09, with Kenya clinching first position.

A 2008/09 world report released during the Hortfair Holland 2009, on the development of cut the flower sector, observed that Tanzania flowers were ranked among the top 10 imports into the Netherlands with a turnover of 13 million euros in the last year compared to11 million euros in 2007. This is an increase of 23.8 percent.

Kenya clinched first position in the imports of cut flowers to the Netherlands with a turnover of 252 million euros in 2008 compared to 224 million euros, which is an increase of 12.7 percent.

The second position was taken by Israel, although its income on cut flowers to the Netherlands dropped from 102 million euros in 2007 to 88 million euros in 2008, which is a decrease of 13.7.

Another Eastern African country, Ethiopia emerged third with cut flowers to the Netherlands amounting to 82 million euros in 2008 compared to 57 million euros.

East African Business Week