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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 30294, member: 2262"] Kenya faces growing problems with its plant exports. Industry experts worry that more shipments are being stopped at borders due to pests and rule violations. This happens just as the farming sector keeps expanding rapidly. Agriculture leader Kiprono Rono points out that fruit and vegetable growing remains one of Kenya's fastest-advancing farm businesses. The industry struggles with market access and health requirements and needs better roads and storage facilities. Climate change hits Kenya hard, creating problems for water-hungry plant processing operations. Small farmers face extra challenges like limited seeds and fertilizers, difficulty meeting regulations, finding buyers, securing loans, and accessing farming information. They compete against large companies both inside Kenya and around the world. Despite these headaches, Kenya exported fruits, vegetables, and flowers worth about 156.69 billion Kenyan shillings during 2023. Dr. Chagema Kedera from the NExT Kenya Programme sees rising numbers of rejected shipments from 2018 through 2024. He attributes many rejections to insects like the false codling moth. Data shows 77 shipments were rejected in 2018, climbing to 87 by 2024. This increase partly stems from more land being farmed and additional people joining the supply chain. Bean exports face the worst situation because small farmers produce most beans sent overseas. In 2018, only two shipments exceeded pesticide limits, but that number jumped to 41 by 2024. Officials want small farmers to follow production systems that match safety standards. Compared to total exports, these rejected shipments represent a tiny percentage of all goods sent abroad. Yet harmful organisms create major risks, making everyone work together to follow rules. Teams focus on lowering risks by making sure everyone in the supply chain meets established regulations. Pesticide residue problems, especially with beans, cause many rejections. Government agencies, business groups, and exporters cooperate to reduce harmful chemical residues through better farming practices. The constantly changing international rules challenge exporters but never stop progress. Trading partners frequently update their requirements, keeping exporters busy and maintaining compliance. The flower and vegetable industry constantly battles compliance issues. Experts develop systematic approaches to guarantee safe, quality exports. They created specific steps for rose growers, covering everything from planting to shipping. Small businesses, trade groups, and authorities collaborate to solve problems throughout the supply chain. For avocados, they created practical guides for farmers. These guides break complicated information into simple instructions useful at different farming stages. Bean and pea growers also received similar guides tailored to their crops. All these efforts aim to standardize how farms operate, ensuring every producer works toward common goals that help exports meet international standards. [/QUOTE]

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