Kenya: Flower output hit by rains and bad roads
Chief executive Jane Ngigi, however, said the El Nino has not damaged flower farms but moving produce from the farms has become difficult due to bad roads and cited areas like Athi River.
“Many farms are ready to harvest the rain water into their reservoirs. But we also have to prepare to deal with disease outbreaks like Botrytis and Downy Mildew which become prevalent during such weather,” she told the Star via email.
She said flower yields ahead of the rains were good.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, cut flower exports rose by 11.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2015 to 34,827.29 metric tonnes from 31,170.48MT exported in a similar period last year. The volume, however, reduced in the second quarter to 29,357.85MT from 30,649.35MT recorded in the same period in 2014.
Ngigi said the industry’s biggest challenge this year has been the stalled VAT refunds and compensation for the General System of Preference duties paid to the European Union in 2014 when Kenya was denied the duty free quota free access to the bloc.
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