Browsing: Horticultural sector

Sunflower (Harris Seeds)- The Exchange

New Agricultural Produce Cess regulation will hurt industry- KFC

Agribusiness

Kenya’s exporters of fresh produce are expected to begin paying at least four times the Agricultural Produce Cess effective 1st January 2021.

In a letter, sent on 30th December last year by the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD) to the industry directs all exporters of horticultural products to pay from 1st January 2021 Agricultural Produce Cess based on the free on board (f.o.b) value and not the quantity in line with the new Horticulture (Crops) Regulations.

But the Kenya Flower Council (KFC) is calling on the government to weigh the benefit against the costs of this new regulation that has already been implemented.

According to the KFC Chief Executive Officer Mr Clement Tulezi, this poses a big threat to the recovery of the country’s flower sector.

Also Read: Why over 7000 Kenyan Flower farmers are getting funded

“Hope for quick recovery of Kenya’s flower industry will diminish as government arbitrarily increases …

Global pandemic aftershocks: A wilting horticulture sector

Women in Business

When the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 30th January this year declared Covid-19 a public health emergency of international concern and later elevated that to a pandemic on 11th March, the world was not ready for the ripple effects that followed.  

Two days after the WHO declared corona virus disease a global pandemic, on 13th March, 2020 Kenya reported its first positive case with the numbers escalating to over 30,000 confirmed cases. 

With the world’s economy largely relying on agriculture, the horticulture sector is rated among the top foreign exchange earners with Kenya ranked as the leading exporter of fresh produce and cut flowers to the European market. 

According to Clement Tulezi, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Flower Council, the industry has been losing about Kshs20 million ($184.4 thousand) per day due to the coronavirus outbreak. The CEO

…