Valentine's Day might be a time when lovers all over the world express their devotion to each other, but that goodwill is not reaching the rose growers of Kenya. One reason is the global financial crisis, which has resulted in a reduced demand for flowers. Another is the erratic nature of the weather because, according to Jane Ngige of the Kenya Flower Council, "when winters are heavy people don't go out shopping for flowers". December to March is the busiest time of year for flower vendors as it takes in the Christmas period, Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Jane Ngige says 2008 was a magical year for the industry with a record volume of 93,000 tonnes worth $520m (£330m), but the following year that fell 25% to $390m. "We planned for more volume this year," she says, "but there has been a levelling-off in demand rather than an increase." The main market for Kenyan flower growers is the European Union, which takes 65% of the produce grown, followed by Japan and the east European market. "Labour has been scaled down but we are hoping things will improve," Jane Ngige says. "We try to keep workers with us as long as possible," she adds.