Nairobi, Wednesday – Last week’s IFTEX Expo Kenya 2013 successfully closed its doors after a very busy week of networking between Kenyan flower growers and international flower buyers. According to exhibitors and attendees the event was one of the best of its kind in history. Besides the presence of the biggest and most important Russian and Ukrainian flower buyers at the fair, buyers from more than 25 other countries travelled to Nairobi sourcing fresh cut flowers. Among some of the countries being represented were Australia, Kuwait, Germany, Italy, Spain, England, Ireland, Holland and even the USA. The trade fair was official opened by the minister for Agriculture of the newly installed Kenyan government, Mr. Felix Keiskoo, who stressed in his opening speech to continue the commitment of the new government to support the Kenyan horticultural industry in its production and exports.
Especially the superb quality of the exhibited flowers were the talk of the show. Both exhibitors and visitors were very impressed by the Kenyan flowers that were brought from the farms to the exhibition. Besides the abundant displays of roses, many other type of flowers were showed, such as various gypsophila varieties of Danziger (earning 3 different prices in the various quality competitions of being best breeder as well as best grower), Solidago, Callas, Alstroemeria, Lilium, statice, Agaphantus, hypericum and many more.
The trade fair positioned itself already not only as a regional event but as well as a continental fair, since also growers from other African countries exhibited in this second edition. Growers from Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and even Rwanda were present with flowers produced in their own countries and imported into Kenya especially for the event. The organizers announced during the opening ceremony that this will be a further focus point for the next edition. Especially more flower growers of surrounding countries will be attracted to join the fair in 2014.
Results of the various quality competitions:
-Best Breeder Quality Competition: Bronze for Nirp East Africa with the rose “Dreamliner”. Silver for Danziger with solidago “Golden Glory”. Gold for Continental Breeding with the rose “Pegasus”. Platinum for Danziger with gypsophila ”XLence”.
-Best Grower Quality Competition in the category roses: Bronze for Red Ice/Eye Spy/One and Only with the standard rose “Downtown”. Silver for Harvest Limited with the spray rose “Fireworks”. Gold for Zenaroses with the spray rose “Fireworks”. Platinum for Uhuru Flowers with the standard rose “Farfalla”.
-Best Grower Quality Competition in the category other cut flowers: Bronze for Beauty Line Limited with solidago “Solid Beauty”. Silver for Trodding Africa Limited with agaphantus “Blue”. Gold for Sian Agriflora (Sian Roses) with calla “Majectic Red”. Platinum for Oserian Development Company with statice “Purple Statice”.
Iftex will take place again next year in June 2014 in the Shree Visa Oshwal Community Center from Wedneday June 4 to Friday June 6. More information can be found on the web site of the expo: www.iftex.org.
Source: HPP Exhibitions