Flower farms need to show proof of permits from the buyers abroad before they can be allowed to export.
This follows a directive issued by Australia, which requires all the countries exporting to that nation to fumigate their produce before shipping as they adopt a zero pest policy.
Kenyan flower farms will have to acquire special permits from their buyers in the Sh3 billion Australia market as a raft of new measures aimed at curbing transfer of pests and diseases take effect.
A letter written to flower companies by Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) says they need to show proof of the permits from the buyers abroad before they can be allowed to export.
The move follows a directive issued by Australia, which requires all the countries exporting to that nation to fumigate their produce before shipping as they adopt a zero pest policy.
“The department of Agriculture and Water Resources of Australia has informed Kephis that starting September 1, all exports of cut flower and foliage originating from Kenya will be subject to import permits,” says agency managing director Esther Kimani.
The directive, which has already caused some disruption in the market, took effect at the beginning of this month after Kenya’s bid to have the deadline extended was rejected.
The importers in Australia are required by the new directive to obtain an import permit from the relevant state authority in Sydney.
“You are encouraged to liaise with your importers to obtain permits and confirm your eligibility to export and address any challenges that may occur to prevent disruption of businesses in September,” Ms Kimani said in the letter.
The Horticultural Directorate says Australia has in the recent past issued guidelines that would only require zero pests on flowers exported to their country in order to protect their environment against pest and disease infestation.
“This is not unusual since most countries will do anything possible to protect their production environment and their farmers,” says the directorate.
Kephis is mandated by law, as the official plant health control agency to implement and enforce such guidelines to enable Kenya meet the market requirements.
Cut-flower exports remain the largest earner among the various horticulture products, contributing over 70 per cent of the total fresh produce annual earnings.
Horticulture earnings hit Sh153 billion last year, making the sector Kenya’s third highest foreign exchange earner behind diaspora remittances (Sh272 billion) and tourism (Sh157 billion).
In the horticulture segment, flowers brought in Sh113 billion in 2018, with vegetables in second at Sh27 billion followed by fruit exports which raked in Sh12 billion.
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