IFTEX is a wrap and vibes on the show floor were positive. The Kenyan floriculture acreage and the assortment is increasing and quality keeps improving. Despite the success, growers are faced with several challenges. Now, let's take a look at what people talked about the most.
Allam Kaguchia, manager Oboya Horticultural Kenya and his son Myles. New in their assortment the auction buckets, TB trolleys, branded sleeves and clamshells (for the soft fruit industry). Special about these buckets is that they have an extension.
Botrytis is one of the main issues growers were dealing with last month due to the humid weather. Fortunately, the weather improved. When looking at the costs, they are high and inflation is contributing to it. Prices for fertilizers, for example, are still high. They have come down, but have not reached their previous levels yet. Also, prices of electricity, fuel, freight, and water have gone up, and more increases are expected as the new financial bill will result in higher taxes.
Aruk Mishra of Shalimar Fresh. They produce a large assortment of summer flowers, make bouquets on site and are excited to announce that they just acquired Karaturi. More on this later on FloralDaily.
Fortunately, sales seem to have been good over the last 6 months. After Covid, times were challenging, but demand went up afterward and dropped when the war in Ukraine started. As demand recovered, growers started to plan and look again for opportunities to expand and innovate, and to become more sustainable.
John Kowarsky and Amnin Zamir of Cargolite presenting their new seafreigt packaging. See the top carton with cardboard frame. See here to learn more about Cargolite in this FloralDaily article
Now demand for Europe is going down as the weather starts to improve and people look for other activities and vacations of course. It is expected that the demand will return in mid-August. The sales to the Middle East, however, seem to be picking up and at the show, buyers from this part of the world were well represented.
Another trend that was visible at the show was the consolidation of farms and that more farms are making bouquets at the source. And regarding innovation, several companies see opportunities in making the Kenyan floriculture industry a more data-driven industry. "Kenyan growers live on WhatsApp and Excel", an exhibitor chuckles "but once they see the benefits of using their data and AI for example, change is expected. And not only for the growers, for the entire industry."
Antonio Menezes (global category manager) and Niels van doorn (general manager)of Chrysal. During the IFTEX week, they inaugurated a testing facility in Kenya. Check here to read more on it on Floraldaily.
Eager to learn more about what was on display at IFTEX? On Monday, the photo report will be published, and in the weeks that follow, articles will appear in our newsletter from different exhibitors.