Importing Flowers to Saudi Arabia from Kenya and Ethiopia
Saudi Arabia: One of the Biggest Flower Import Markets in the Gulf
Saudi Arabia is one of the most important flower import markets in the Middle East. With luxury hotels, weddings, flower shops, event companies, supermarkets and corporate clients, the demand for fresh cut flowers is strong throughout the year.
Fresh flowers are used for:
🏨 Hotels and hospitality
💍 Weddings and engagements
🎉 Events and celebrations
🌸 Flower shops and florists
🛒 Supermarkets and retail chains
🏢 Corporate gifts and office decoration
🕌 Religious and family occasions
Because of the hot climate and the large demand from cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Makkah and Madinah, Saudi Arabia depends heavily on imported flowers.
In 2024, Saudi Arabia imported around US$104.8 million worth of fresh cut flowers and buds, representing more than 17.1 million kg. Kenya was the largest supplier with around US$48.7 million, followed by Ethiopia with around US$25.8 million and the Netherlands with around US$17.3 million.
This shows clearly that Saudi buyers already know and trust flowers from East Africa.
🇰🇪 Why Saudi Buyers Import Flowers from Kenya
Kenya is one of the world’s leading flower-exporting countries. Kenyan flowers are well known for their quality, strong stems, good vase life and wide variety.
For Saudi Arabia, Kenya is especially interesting for:
🌹 Standard roses
🌸 Spray roses
🤍 Gypsophila
🌼 Chrysanthemums
🌺 Carnations
🌿 Alstroemeria
❤️ Hypericum
💜 Statice
💛 Solidago
💐 Summer flowers
🌱 Greenery and fillers
📦 Mixed wholesale boxes
Kenya is a good origin for Saudi importers who need regular supply, mixed orders and flexible sourcing from different farms.
For wholesalers, florists and event companies in Saudi Arabia, Kenyan flowers are suitable for both daily sales and large event orders.
🇪🇹 Why Ethiopia Is Important for the Saudi Flower Market
Ethiopia has become a major supplier of fresh roses to Saudi Arabia. In 2024, Ethiopia supplied around US$25.8 million worth of fresh cut flowers and buds to Saudi Arabia, making it the second-largest supplier after Kenya.
Ethiopian flowers are especially attractive for:
🌹 Standard roses
🌸 Selected spray roses
💰 Competitive wholesale pricing
📦 Regular rose orders
✈️ Airfreight through Addis Ababa
🤝 Combined sourcing with Kenya
For Saudi importers, Ethiopia can be a strong option when looking for good rose quality at competitive prices. Many buyers compare Kenya and Ethiopia depending on availability, price, stem length, colour and required volume.
📊 Saudi Arabia Already Imports Large Volumes from East Africa
Saudi Arabia is not a small test market. It is already one of the strongest destinations for East African flowers.
In 2024, Saudi Arabia’s flower imports from the main origins included:
🇰🇪 Kenya: about US$48.7 million
🇪🇹 Ethiopia: about US$25.8 million
🇳🇱 Netherlands: about US$17.3 million
🇪🇨 Ecuador: about US$2.1 million
🇿🇦 South Africa: about US$1.9 million
Together, Kenya and Ethiopia supplied more than half of Saudi Arabia’s fresh cut flower imports in 2024.
This is very important for Saudi buyers. It means the logistics, customs process and market acceptance for East African flowers are already established.
✈️ Airfreight to Saudi Arabia
Fresh flowers are highly perishable, so airfreight is the normal shipping method from Kenya and Ethiopia to Saudi Arabia.
Common arrival points include:
🇸🇦 Riyadh
🇸🇦 Jeddah
🇸🇦 Dammam
The best airport depends on the importer’s location, customs broker, cold storage access and final delivery destination.
For example:
📍 Riyadh is important for central Saudi Arabia and large wholesale distribution.
📍 Jeddah is useful for western Saudi Arabia, including Makkah and Madinah.
📍 Dammam is useful for the Eastern Province and nearby Gulf connections.
For successful flower imports, the buyer should confirm the arrival airport before the shipment is booked.
🧊 Cold Chain Is Essential in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s climate makes cold-chain handling very important. Flowers must be protected from heat from the moment they leave the farm until they reach the buyer’s cold room.
A good flower shipment needs:
✅ Farm cooling
✅ Proper grading and packing
✅ Cold storage before departure
✅ Fast airport handling
✅ Temperature-controlled airfreight where possible
✅ Quick customs clearance
✅ Immediate collection after arrival
✅ Cold storage before resale
Even premium roses can lose quality if they are left too long in heat. For Saudi buyers, fast clearance and good airport coordination are just as important as buying from the right farm.
📄 Documents Needed to Import Flowers into Saudi Arabia
Saudi importers should always confirm the latest requirements with their customs broker and Saudi authorities before shipping.
For fresh cut flowers, the importer may need a Plant Products / Picked Flowers import permit. Agriserv describes this service as a permit for plant products including picked flowers. The commercial registration should include the relevant activity, the permit should be obtained at least 24 hours before arrival, the shipment must enter through the port mentioned on the permit, and the permit is valid for 15 days from issuance.
Typical documents include:
📄 Commercial invoice
📦 Packing list
🌿 Phytosanitary certificate
✈️ Air Waybill
📋 Import permit, when required
🌍 Certificate of origin, when requested
🧾 Any additional customs or buyer documents
The phytosanitary certificate is especially important because fresh cut flowers are plant products. The details on the invoice, packing list, phytosanitary certificate and air waybill should match carefully.
🌹 Which Flowers Can Saudi Arabia Import from Kenya and Ethiopia?
Lisa’s Flowers Export can help Saudi buyers source different types of flowers from Kenya and Ethiopia, depending on farm availability and season.
Popular flower options include:
🌹 Roses
🌸 Spray roses
🤍 Gypsophila
🌼 Chrysanthemums
🌺 Carnations
🌿 Alstroemeria
❤️ Hypericum
💜 Statice
💛 Solidago
💐 Summer flowers
🌱 Greenery and fillers
🎨 Seasonal mixed flowers
For weddings and luxury events, Saudi buyers often request white, cream, blush, pink, red and pastel colours.
For wholesale and retail, buyers may prefer strong varieties, good vase life, mixed colours and stable weekly availability.
💍 Weddings, Hotels and Events Create Strong Demand
Saudi Arabia has a large and growing events and hospitality market. Flowers are used for luxury weddings, hotel decoration, corporate events, religious occasions, private parties and retail gifting.
Typical Saudi flower buyers include:
🏨 Hotel flower departments
💍 Wedding planners
🎉 Event decorators
🌸 Florist chains
📦 Wholesale flower importers
🛒 Supermarket buyers
🚚 Distribution companies
🏢 Corporate gift suppliers
This creates opportunities for both regular standing orders and one-off event shipments.
A wholesaler may need weekly mixed boxes.
A wedding decorator may need large quantities of white and pastel roses.
A hotel may require a regular supply of fresh flowers for lobbies, restaurants and suites.
That is why flexible sourcing is very important.
📦 Why Mixed Orders Are Useful for Saudi Importers
One farm may not always have all the varieties, colours and stem lengths that a buyer needs. This is why mixed sourcing from different farms can be very useful.
A mixed shipment can include:
🌹 Standard roses from one farm
🌸 Spray roses from another farm
🤍 Gypsophila from a specialist grower
🌼 Chrysanthemums or carnations from another supplier
🌿 Fillers and greenery depending on availability
This gives Saudi buyers more choice and makes the shipment more attractive for resale.
Instead of depending on one farm, buyers can receive a better selection adapted to their market.
🇰🇪 Kenya or 🇪🇹 Ethiopia: Which Origin Should Saudi Buyers Choose?
Both Kenya and Ethiopia are strong flower origins for Saudi Arabia.
✅ Choose Kenya when you need a wider product range, spray roses, fillers, summer flowers and mixed wholesale orders.
✅ Choose Ethiopia when you are looking for competitive rose supply and want to compare prices for standard roses.
✅ Choose both Kenya and Ethiopia when you want more flexibility, better availability and more sourcing options.
For many Saudi buyers, the best strategy is not to choose only one origin. Combining Kenya and Ethiopia can help improve availability, price comparison and product selection.
🤝 Why Work with Lisa’s Flowers Export?
Lisa’s Flowers Export helps flower buyers source fresh cut flowers from Kenya and Ethiopia.
We are not limited to one farm. We work with different farms and suppliers, which allows us to check availability, compare options and help buyers combine different flowers in one order.
We can assist Saudi buyers with:
🌸 Sourcing from Kenya and Ethiopia
🌹 Roses and spray roses
💐 Summer flowers and fillers
📦 Mixed wholesale orders
📋 Farm availability checks
🧊 Packing and cold-chain coordination
📄 Export documentation
✈️ Airfreight coordination
💬 Clear communication with the buyer
This is useful for importers, wholesalers, florists, hotels and event companies that need reliable flower supply with professional support.
🌟 Conclusion
Saudi Arabia is one of the strongest flower import markets in the Gulf. The country already imports large volumes of fresh flowers from Kenya and Ethiopia, especially roses and other fresh cut flowers.
Kenya offers strong year-round flower supply, a wide assortment and reliable export experience. Ethiopia offers competitive roses and growing export capacity. Together, they give Saudi importers more flexibility, better sourcing options and strong access to East African flowers.
Lisa’s Flowers Export helps Saudi buyers source fresh flowers from Kenya and Ethiopia with professional communication, flexible sourcing and reliable export coordination.
📩 Contact Lisa’s Flowers Export
For availability, prices and flower options, contact:
Lisa’s Flowers Export
Email: info@lisasflowersexport.com
WhatsApp: +254 755 855 955
Website: www.lisasflowersexport.com
Read more about exporting roses, spray roses and summer flowers to Saudi Arabia