Fresh Produce players have raised alarm how fresh produce rejects barred from international markets.Fresh Produce Consortium of
Kenya Consortium are in consultation with local supermarkets and producers to ensure that what is sold in the local market also meets international standards.
Paul Mwenda, a board member of FPC said the consortium will be working towards harmonizing the international and domestic standards for fresh produce so that what is consumed locally is also of high quality.“We have realized that what is offered in the domestic market is mainly rejects from the international
market. But we now want to ensure that whatever is offered in the local market is also of standard such as those provided in the international market,” he said.
Mwenda said the consortium will also be lobbying for better freight prices which is currently at Sh112 per kilo.“This is high but small scale exporters must get organized and be able to get huge volumes so that they are able to negotiate lower prices with the freight providers,” said Mwenda.
The current volume of five to ten tonnes cannot be guaranteed space and the exporters have to pay at hand unlike large scale exporters.“Right now each exporter is working on their own, but if we come together, we can be able to negotiate better prices,” he added.
Ojepat was speaking at the official launch of FPC Kenya, which rebranded from Kenya Association of Fruits and Vegetable Exporters.“With the rebranding, more areas will be covered particularly domestic market which has never been well coordinated. We will also be able to engage with more stakeholders and grow the sector,” he said.
He noted several challenges in the fresh produce sector including lack of traceability, high cost of production, lack of extension services, poor information follow, brokers/middlemen menace, insufficient cooling facilities, weak compliance to food safety requirements and taxation issues.
According to data by FPC Kenya, flower exports contributed Sh82.24 billion up from Sh70.83 billion earned in 2016. This represented 11.6 per cent growth, on export volume of 159,961 metric tonnes.Fruits and vegetables earned Sh9 billion and Sh. 24 billion, on export volumes of 56,945 tones and 87,240 tonnes, respectively.The cut-flower export still remains the largest earner, contributing over 70 per cent of the total fresh produce annual earnings.
The domestic fresh produce market sector earned Sh305 billion, but the CEO said the figure could be higher as bigger portion of trade at the domestic market levels is not captured.
