Government and Industry Fast-Track Measures To Save Flower Industry from EU-banned Moth

Nairobi, Kenya 31st July 2020 The Kenyan government and agricultural industry are launching an urgent offensive against a moth that has infested 70 types of crops, from roses to citrus fruits and capsicums, prompting a surge in Kenyan export rejections by the European Union, and an EU review that could now see a growing proportion of the country’s flower and horticultural trade fail. The EU defines the False Coddling Moth (FCM) as a quarantine pest, meaning that fresh produce containing the moth cannot be allowed into the European market. However, random checks of fresh imports from Kenya have found increasing numbers to be FCM-infested, with rose exports, in particular, driving a sharp increase in rejected consignments. As a result, the EU, which in January 2018 began checking one in every 20 rose consignments from Kenya for infestation by the moth, last year lifted that checking rate to one in every 10 consignments. This year’s review of the checking rate may maintain this rate or may now increase it to one in every four consignments, or even to one in two, or a 50 per cent checking rate by January 2021. This would see Kenya move to the same regime as Tanzania, where the prevalence of the moth on its roses saw EU import checks increased from 15 per cent in 2018 to 50 per cent last year. The potential losses for Kenya could amount to as much as 40 per cent of cut flower sales, estimate experts, prompting a crisis meeting last week of agricultural industry players, the State Department of Trade, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on ways of tackling the infestation. “FCM is now present on more than 70 host plant crops. However, we are working with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services, Pest Control Products Board, and the Netherlands government to address the issue,” said Clement Tulezi, Kenya Flower Council’s CEO. “Active ingredients have now been identified to contain the pest and the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) is carrying out more tests. We cannot afford to lose the market,” said Tulezi. The cut flower industry earned Sh113bn in 2018, accounting for 73.6 per cent of total fresh horticultural earnings. But, according to Europhyt Interceptions, the moth has caused a jump in rejected imports since then, predominantly of roses, peppers and Gypsophila. Altogether, the