More of Kenya’s flowers will go to the Common Market for Eastern and Central Africa countries in a new initiative by Kenya Flower Council and the Kenya Flower Vendors Association.
At an exhibition dubbed Soko la Maua flower market in Nairobi, the two organisations showcased flowers grown in the countries and said that it was the beginning of an annual event where consumers in the region will be introduced to the culture of using flowers to express emotions such as love, sadness and goodwill.
Council chairman Erastus Mureithi said the flower culture has failed to take root in Africa, despite its being deeply entrenched in Europe, where more than 90 per cent of Kenya’s flowers are sold.
Kenya is the world’s largest flower exporter, accounting for 32 per cent of all flowers sold in the European Union. It has recently ventured into the US too.
Under the new arrangement, the Flower Council will assist vendors to acquire quality flowers and arrange them in accordance the with latest trends in international markets. According to Jane Ngige, chief executive officer of the Council, domestic consumption of flowers holds potential investment opportunities, especially for the young people who are the project’s main target.
She said that flowers that are not exported because of minor defects could be prepared to suit local buyers instead of being discarded as is the current practice. Ngige said that if tapped, the COMESA project could prove a viable alternative to the stringent export market, which is currently threatened by the carbon miles debate, among other changing standards.
If the region embraces the flower culture the way the council envisions, a new generation of growers could be supported. According to Mrs. Ngige, the council is prepared to assist them to comply with a code of practice that encourages farmers to take care of the environment by rehabilitating wetlands and adopting new technologies like containerised growing, where water is re-used. This crop of farmers will be specifically growing flowers for local consumption.
The development could tilt the balance to the same side as the vegetables and fruits sector, where just under a third is exported.
According to the Horticultural Crops Development Authority, local consumption of fruits and vegetables is estimated to be worth Ksh120 billion ($1.79 billion) compared with export earnings of Ksh49 billion ($731million).
The biggest challenge — which the council says it is up to — is promoting a flower culture in a region where the whole thing is considered alien. “We want to enable people in the region to appreciate the beauty of flowers that are produced in their own countries,” Mrs. Ngige said.
Except on Valentine’s Day — February 14 — observed internationally as a lovers’ day with red roses, it is rare to see people carrying flowers. Even on Valentine’s many people frown at the idea. But what might not be commonly known is that it is more expensive to buy a flower here than it is in Europe on that day. A batch of red roses goes for Ksh 500 ($7.5) while a single stem sells at between Ksh 50 and Ksh100 (75 US cents-$1.5)
Part of the local flower promotion will include educating consumers on preservation, considered a major reason for shunning the commodity. Properly preserved, flowers can last for up to two weeks. The vendors will be trained in handling technicalities. Both vendors and consumers will be educated on the symbolisms of different colours and varieties of flowers. Except for the red rose which signifies love, the majority of people are totally ignorant about other colours and the various combinations.
Farmers who attended the Soko la Maua show are excited about the prospects of exporting flowers within the COMESA region, especially to countries not requiring airfreight, considered the biggest expenditure in the business. Flowers from the City Market in Nairobi go as far as Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda — albeit in small quantities because the business has not been adequately promoted.
The flower vendors are now rooting for a location where consumers can access flowers easily.
The East African
