Experts have warned that the quality of Kenya's flower exports could be hurt following an outbreak of bacterial disease.
The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) said Sunday that bacterial wilt mostly affects roses.
Kephis said the disease known as bacterial wilt is spreading rapidly, noting that it may affect the quality of flowers being exported to the European market.
Hilda Miranyi, a senior Kephis official, said the disease was first reported in The Netherlands in October last year and has been spreading at an alarming rate.
"This new threat is common in roses and these are flowers that we grow in large quantities hence the need to protect them," she said in Naivasha during the launch of Closer 240SC an insecticide for flowers.
She said there is need for flower companies to check on their sanitation protocol as one way of ensuring the disease does not spread.
