In a branding venture, Kenya’s Horticulture Directorate is seeking to include mark of origin on Kenyan horticultural exports. Assistant director of regulation and compliance at the Horticultural directorate Wilfred Yako said that Kenyan Avocado, flowers and mango exported to the Middle East are repackaged and resold in the European markets at a premium. This results in Kenyan farmers missing out on additional income.
Yako explained that part of the Dutch horticultural exports originate from this country before being repacked and sold at a premium as European products: “We are in the process of introducing a stamp of origin in the horticulture 2020 bill before it is passed into law and this will ensure all products from Kenyan quality goods can be identified with the country in a branding exercise. The introduction of the stamp of origin will also protect farmers from exploitation and ensure they maximize their income from their produce.”
However, Yako noted that this will need a multisector approach to curb re-exporting of Kenya’s fruit to other countries, a move that gives credit to exporting nations given that Kenya’s products are some of the best in the world.
Source: kenyanews.go.ke
