The Kenya Flower Council (KFC) predicts a less-than-rosy Valentine for farmers due to rising production costs and rising air freight charges.
Despite a slight increase in flower prices in the EU market, farmers have declared the previous year to be the worst for the floriculture sector.
This came after the growers accused the government, through the council, of giving with the right hand and picking with the left arm.
The sector has yet to fully recover from the effects of Covid-19, with the situation exacerbated by the Russian war and the 2022 general elections.
According to the council's CEO, Clement Tulezi, flower prices in the EU market increased by 10-15% in the last year. However, he observed that the rising costs of farm inputs, freight charges, electricity, and water were eroding profits.
"Market prices have slightly improved as we approach Valentine's Day, but new taxes, soaring fertiliser, fuel, and electricity costs have reduced the profit margin," he said.
Tulezi said the country was exporting an estimated 15,000 tonnes per week ahead of Valentine's Day, just like last year.
"The EU market is stabilising after the financial crisis caused by the Russia war, which saw gas and oil prices rise sharply, affecting consumer purchasing power," he said.
The CEO accused the government of failing to support the sector, which employs more than 200,000 people and is one of the country's top foreign exchange-earners.
"The government claims to be supporting farming to increase output while slapping the sector with unrealistic taxes," he said.
According to Jack Kneppers, one of Naivasha's top farmers, flower prices were higher last year, while demand was also higher. Kneppers, the MD of Maridadi flower farm, said they export over 230,000 stems of roses to the Dutch Auction every day. "This year's Valentine is better than last year because prices in the EU have risen slightly," he said.
At the same time, the seasoned farmer challenged the government to address the sector's high electricity costs and multiple taxes.
"If the issues of double taxation and high farm input costs are addressed, this sector has the potential to expand and employ more workers," he said.
newdesk@standardmedia.co.ke
