Flower farms tackle latest threat to peak season exports

Products for post-harvest handling that have initially been imported will be locally packaged.

This will benefit small scale growers and local flower sellers who can purchase small sachets.

Elvis Wainaina, the chairman of the Flower Vendors Association, said that since the vendors and the KFC started promoting flower culture locally two years ago, there has been a remarkable improvement in the business.

But the Nairobi City Council is yet to allocate flower vendors space to conduct trade without being harassed by council askaris.

Only vendors in Westlands have been allocated space but KFC is negotiating for flower kiosks in the city centre.

Plans are also under way to set up such kiosks at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

“This is the way it is in Europe where flower kiosks are found all over. JKIA is the first place for visitors to know they are entering a top flower producing country,” said the KFC CEO.