The horticulture sector in Kenya reports it has incurred a net loss of KSh8 billion ($75.4 million) in the past month, as a result of the adverse effects of COVID-19.
The flower industry, in particular, has been the hardest hit following the closure of the Dutch auction and suspension of exports to the EU, which is its largest market.
As a result, close to 1,000 seasonal workers from various flower farms in Naivasha have been sent home, with a likelihood of their contracts being terminated altogether.
Now, as Agricultural Employers Association (AEA) CEO, Wesley Siele says, farmers involved in fresh produce are still in business, despite their exports dropping by over 60%.
The Star reports that an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 workers will be declared redundant in a process that has already kicked off, owing to the reduction in business.
Horticulture sector earnings are the third-largest contributors of foreign exchange in Kenya, after diaspora remittances and income from tourism.
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