New drive to market Kenyan flowers in UK

Kenya has launched a "Grown Under the Sun" campaign to inform British consumers about the development benefits associated with buying fresh produce from Kenya as the food miles and carbon footprints debate continues. Kenya Flower Council chairman Erastus Mureithi said the campaign was aimed at impressing on consumers that unlike flowers grown in Europe, which are artificially lit, Kenya's are produced under natural conditions.

Under the food miles and carbon footprints campaign, leading supermarkets in the UK are discouraging the buying of air-freighted products to reduce emission of carbon dioxide into the environment, through labelling of goods according to distance travelled. The move has sparked widespread criticism since it could lead to boycott of products mainly from poor countries.

Roads minister Simeon Nyachae said that demand for Kenyan flowers was on the increase despite spirited campaigns from the competition to rock the highly successful sector. "Carbon miles and negative publicity are gimmicks being used by competitors to spoil the flower industry," he said.

The grown-under-the-sun campaign was launched by Kenya's high commissioner to Britain, Mr Joseph Muchemi, at the recently held Royal Show, Britain's largest agricultural trade show.

Mr Mureithi said UK scientists were questioning the crusaders of carbon miles since the subject had not been scientifically focused, leading to a collision between the scholars on one hand, and NGOs and traders on the other.

Importers into the EU now want labelling standardised in conformity with international convention, which will see all products identified according to country of origin, not just the fresh produce that is at the heart of the current debate.

Agriculture permanent secretary Romano Kiome said the labels were backdoor trade restrictions.

Daily Nation