Ministry moves to avert disruption of flower exports to European Union

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Nominee Mutahi Kagwe. (X/Parliament)

By Mary Wambui
Tuesday, March 25, 2025

He stated that the Ministry has declared zero tolerance for False Codling Moth (FCM) and is committed to ensuring 100 per cent compliance with EU regulations.

The Ministry of Agriculture has taken steps to prevent the disruption of flower exports to the European Union (EU) by streamlining its systems to comply with the union’s standards.

According to Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, this will enable Kenya to meet the stringent requirements for the export of fresh-cut roses to the EU, which are set to take effect next month.

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In a statement, Kagwe noted that flowers accounted for the largest share of Kenya’s export value, with the country exporting 102,475.80 tonnes worth Sh72.1 billion (53 per cent of total export values) in 2024.

"The regulation, which will come into effect in Kenya on April 26, 2025, requires significant changes in the production and supply of roses. Failure to fully comply with these requirements poses a high risk of disrupting flower exports to the EU," he said.

To address this, he stated that the Ministry has declared zero tolerance for False Codling Moth (FCM) and is committed to ensuring 100 per cent compliance with EU regulations.

Among the measures Kenya has taken are: developing and submitting an FCM Systems Approach Protocol to the EU, providing evidence of the efficacy of the systems approach used for FCM management at production sites, and submitting a list of 134 approved production sites to the EU.

"For traceability in the event of non-compliance, each farm has been issued with a unique code," explained the CS.

Further interventions, currently underway through various government agencies—including Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), and Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA)—include training stakeholders in the floriculture sub-sector to align with the new regulation and registering pest control products with PCPB for effective pest management.

So far, 475 agro-attendants and over 849 staff members have been trained.

"With these measures in place, I would like to assure the EU that our compliance will be at 100 per cent, and our produce will meet the highest quality standards, ensuring that FCM is never detected in our flowers again," added the CS.

The EU, a leading importer of Kenyan horticultural produce, began regulating the False Codling Moth (FCM) in 2017. The pest, which is endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa, is widely distributed in Kenya, affecting flowers and a range of host crops, including citrus, avocado, and vegetables.

In 2023, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) commissioned a study which found that fresh-cut roses pose a risk of introducing FCM to the EU.

Additionally, in July 2024, the EU enacted a new regulation (Regulation 2004/2024) introducing stricter measures for the export of fresh-cut roses.

As a result, 95 consignments of Kenyan flower exports were rejected, and 48 interceptions occurred (equivalent to 2.1 million stems), with an estimated loss of €1.05 million last year due to FCM.