Demand for Kenyan chives is at a strong level at the moment, which has allowed for yearly growth of production, says Johnson Ngila, director of Royal Herbs Exporters in Kenya: "Looking at our current chives season, we have more demand than supply, as the demand is driven by consistent production of quality chives and reliable volumes to our clients. We have been in production for the last three years, with volumes growing from three tons per week to 25 tons per week. Our area under production is around 25 hectares. We export mainly to the European Union and the UK."
© Royal Herbs Exporters (SEZ) Limited
Not everything is smooth sailing, as herbs are delicate and the right conditions during transport are crucial for the clients, Ngila explains. "Reliable air freight is a challenge. We sometimes face challenges when it comes to offloads. Then there's the issue of cold chain management to ensure our product is transported and reaches the customers at the optimal temperatures. To overcome this challenge, we have introduced GRPS data loggers to monitor and relay temperature readings to us and our clients, which helps identify any violations."
© Royal Herbs Exporters (SEZ) Limited
Demand and price could increase further in the coming weeks, as European production will come to an end: "Looking at chives specifically, prices have been stagnant over the last two years. This year, though, we expect an increase in the price of between five to ten per cent this winter. On top of that, demand should increase by the end of this week, as the local European production will come to an end, forcing European buyers to look for alternatives for the rest of the winter. This change in demand is characteristic of chives, as it is the most challenging herb in terms of balancing the different demand and production dynamics during the summer and winter," Ngila concludes.
© Royal Herbs Exporters (SEZ) Limited
For more information:
Johnson Ngila
Royal Herbs Exporters (SEZ) Limited
Tel: +254 722 944 496
[email protected]
www.royalherbsexporters.com
