Kenya's flowers hit by ash cloud

Nairobi, 18 April-(ANA)-Kenya's flower industry has been badly hit by the cancellation of flights across Europe because of the ash cloud caused by a volcano in Iceland.

The head of the Kenya Flower Council said it was costing growers between $1.5m and $2m a day.

She said about 500 tonnes of flowers were currently being kept in cool storage at Nairobi's airport.

Flowers are the East African country's biggest export earner, accounting for about 20% of all exports.

Flower trucks arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Friday morning were being turned away.

According to the Kenya Flower Council, 97% of all Kenya's flower exports are sent to the European Union.

About 300 growers employ an estimated 100,000 people, with about 1.2m people deriving their livelihood from the flower export industry.

The Eyjafjallajokull volcano system began erupting on Wednesday for the second time in a month, hurling a plume of ash 11km (seven miles) into the atmosphere.

Scientists say the volcano is still erupting but producing less ash and flights are likely to be disrupted into the weekend. (ANA)

FA/ANA/18 April 2010------