NAIROBI, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's floriculture sector will fully recover from the negative effects of COVID-19 pandemic in the middle of 2021, executives said on Friday.
Clement Tulezi, CEO of Kenya Flower Council (KFC), said the sector was on a recovery trajectory thanks to reopening of export markets.
"We are projecting that we shall recover by June 2021 and already farmers have recalled their entire workforce following the troubled period," Tulezi told journalists in Naivasha.
He said that flower exports stood at 70 percent from a low of 30 percent at the height of the pandemic.
He said that high freight charges were some of the challenges facing flower farmers adding that state intervention was key to helping lower the cost of airlifting the commodity overseas.
"We would like the state to intervene and cushion farmers from the high cost of exporting flowers to foreign markets," said Tulezi.
He said that COVID-19 exposed the vulnerability of the floriculture sector, adding that farmers have resolved to reduce the cost of production in order to survive.
He said the high flight charges combined with the attacks of fresh produce by moths are the two major challenges currently facing the floriculture sector. Enditem
