NAIROBI: As a result of the lifting of the 10% reinforced checks on all Kenyan exotic product exports (excl. flowers), french beans, snow peas, sugar snaps, passion fruit, garden peas, baby corn, etc., the country’s export volumes are expected to increase. Andrew Githae, Managing Director of Summer Fresh Produce Ltd, affirms that “small scale, medium, as well as large scale producers of beans and peas in Kenya will increase their productivity, creating more job opportunities at farm level and all the way to the processing and export. The entire chain is bound to benefit due to the trickledown effect.”
He explains that the 10% reinforced checks meant that 10% of the firm’s total shipments were subjected to lab tests, “Which means that the entire consignment was held by customs until the testing was done, when a decision was made on whether to release the shipment to the consignee or to destroy it, depending on the outcome of the lab test.”
The decision to consider Kenyan beans and other products as low risk in terms of MRLS and the ultimate lifting of the 10% reinforced checks is obviously welcome and a big relief to Kenyan exporters. “The positive remarks are quite encouraging to the entire Kenyan export market and obviously it’s expected that the industry will grow bigger and stronger,” he states.
Mr Githae also assures that “We embarked on a consistent, vigorous campaign to educate and enlighten all our growers on Good Agricultural Practices and, more importantly, on the safe use of the recommended pesticides and all it entails. As a result, we are able to maintain high quality standards for our export products, with the procurement of pesticides carried out exclusively following advice from qualified technical assistants (agronomists).”
Regarding beans, which Summer Fresh Ltd. is currently exporting to Germany, Mr Githae says that, so far, the season has been marked by low production due to rains that lasted until mid-June. “The low demand for beans that characterised the rainy season that normally begins on late March to mid-June has led to huge losses in production, so we are hopeful that the situation will change for the better as we approach the summer season in Europe.”
