Flower Park Flourish Despite Economic Hardships

The Naivasha-based Flower Business Park (FBK) has been expanding its operations and employing more workers as demand for roses and vegetable seedlings continue to grow in the region and across the borders.

The park which is a host to seven flower farms and a multi-billion seedlings plant has been flourishing despite the on-going harsh economic times where several companies including flower farms have closed business across the country.

A farm worker seen inspecting flowers [Photo, Courtesy]
Among the farms hosted in the park is Plantech Limited which is currently Africa’s leading producer of vegetable and fruit seeds standing at 25m seedlings every month.

The park General Manager James Waweru said the park management was currently employing over 4,500 workers with the number expected to rise following the expansion plans.

The MD, however, called for support from the government by creating a conducive investment environment including a reduction in business taxes, adding that the companies were ready to continue investing in the country and creating more jobs as per President Uhuru’s call to investors.

Waweru noted that the park which started in 1998 from scratch, was hosting some of the leading flower farms and seedlings producers and was currently engaged in an expansion exercise with the production of rose flowers and vegetable seedlings expected to double and generating more revenue to the government.

The GM noted that apart from flower growing, they were hosting companies involved in the production of farm inputs and equipment.

A farmworker is seen inspecting flowers [Photo, Courtesy]
A Director at Plantech Company Idan Salvy said that they were producing one million seedlings of vegetables and fruits every day and addressing the major challenge of quality seeds facing farmers in the county.

He challenged the government to support the Israel-owned company and other such facilities as they were addressing the challenges of food security, job creation and taxes.

“This is a Ksh1 billion project and we plan to expand next year and double our seedlings due to the high demand from farmers but we cannot do this without support from the government,” he said.

Idan identified tough regulations and importation rules as the major challenges the company faced, adding that they were keen to work with the government both at the national and county levels to resolve the challenges.

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