The Kenya Flower Council (KFC) has called for zero-rating of all farm inputs in a bid to cushion the floriculture sector against further losses occasioned by the Coronavirus pandemic. The council CEO Clement Tulezi regretted that the sector was on its knees with flower farms now forced to dispose of their harvest following the current lockdown in several European Union countries. As a result of the lockdown in European Union markets, he said, farmers were now incurring huge losses forcing them to send the majority of their workers home as the crisis deepens. He added that the farmers were ready to start shipping flowers once the situation stabilised in Europe, which is the main market for Kenya’s flowers. He welcomed the planned VAT refunds by the government and said the floriculture sector should be given first priority.

Source: The Star March 29, 2020 09:56 UTC