CHANGSHA, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- A total of 3,000 fresh-cut roses from Nairobi, Kenya, landed Thursday morning in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, marking the first batch of African flowers exported to Hunan in almost three years.

These flowers, after passing through all inspection and quarantine procedures, will serve the booming flower market ahead of the upcoming Spring Festival holiday, the most important and grandest traditional festival of the year in China.

Traditionally, the Chinese purchase flowers before the Spring Festival for decoration or good luck in the upcoming year, with red flowers being the most popular.

Kenyan flowers, especially Kenyan roses, enjoy a good market presence worldwide because of their large heads, straight stem length, and long-lasting vase life, according to a staffer with Hunan Xiyue culture media, the importer, adding that the company will continue importing more Kenyan flowers to serve the soaring demand.

According to the animal and plant inspection department of Changsha Customs, as flowers are delicate and perishable products, they have launched a "declare in advance" service to facilitate its declaration and ensure the safe and rapid clearance of flowers. 

Source: Xinhua