Vendors to be trained on flower selling ahead of Valentines Day

By John Oyuke

Flower vendors are set to undergo professional training on flower arrangement and handling ahead of this year’s Valentines Day.

The Day, celebrated on February 14, as a day of love, is the most important day for the flower industry, with some growers selling more on the day than the rest of the year combined.

Kenya Flower Council (KCFC) Chief Executive Officer Jane Ngige said yesterday the training is critical to promotion of local consumption of flowers, still regarded as "mzungu" products.

Ms Ngige said the industry expects to reap big, a sharp contrast from last year, when the global financial crisis and a biting winter in Europe conspired to give the lucrative flower business the worst Valentine Day returns.

"Although it is too early to estimate sales, considering that the global financial crisis has eased, orders are big as people "prepare to brighten up their lives after a dull 2009," she said.

Flower prices drop

Last year, flowers recorded a 30 per cent decline in foreign exchange earnings that stood at Sh30 billion, compared with the Sh43 billion in 2008, a year that saw political violence heightening fears that the industry would be had hit.

Ngige said a trainer from Australia, Alan Randell-Smith, a leading florist would jet into the country today, in readiness for the training that takes place on Sunday at the Oshwal Centre, Parklands.

The council, Zwapak Africa, Smithers Oasis and Floralife, would facilitate the event.

Among the issues the vendors will be trained on are care and handling of cut flowers to enhance shelf life and quality on the table to give buyers value for money.

Flower Vendors Association Chairman, Elvis Wainaina said since the vendors and the KFC started promoting flower culture locally two years ago, there is a remarkable improvement in the business.

Ngige disclosed that KFC has successfully negotiated with the Nairobi City Council to allocate flower vendors space where they can conduct trade without being harassed by council askaris.

Allotments

"We are happy to report that vendors in Westlands have been allocated space and we are still negotiating for flower kiosks in the City centre where people can purchase flowers," she said.

She said plans are under way to set up such kiosks at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, which should be the first to let visitors know they are entering a top flower producing country.