Anxiety has gripped the floriculture sector in Naivasha following the loss of jobs by at least 3,000 workers this year. According to the Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU), the numbers could rise in the coming days.
Already, Karuturi Flower Farm has sent home close to 2,500 workers after it was placed under receivership over accrued debt. And as the workers were trying to come to terms with the closure, the leading and oldest farm, Oserian Limited, sent home more than 400 workers.
The farm attributed the laying off to poor European market and the high cost of production in the last couple of years. KPAWU Naivasha branch secretary general Ferdinand Juma said the move had raised fear and anxiety among workers.
He added that tens of workers from smaller farms had in the same period lost their jobs with their employers pointing to the high cost of production.
“There is a crisis in the flower farms and we are calling on the National government to address the issues raised by the farmers so as to save thousands of jobs,” he said.
Juma added that Oserian farm originally wanted to sack more than 600 workers but this was reduced to 406. He said they had been forced to go to court after the farm failed to follow the laid down procedures while declaring the workers redundant.
“The farm initially wanted to lay off 618 workers but we went to court over the manner the process was being carried out and the number has been reduced to 406,” he said.
Meanwhile, flower farmers in Naivasha are crying foul over double taxation by the National and county governments noting that this was negatively affecting their businesses.
The chairman of the Naivasha Horticultural Trade fair Richard McGonnel noted with concern the double taxation saying this should be resolved. He decried the high taxes that flower farms were charged adding that they are planning to raise the issue with Governor Kinuthia Mbugua.
He added that the high cost of production, double taxation and labour were the main challenges flower farmers are facing. “Though prices in the European market have stagnated for a long time, the working environment in Kenya is conducive apart from the few challenges we are facing,” he said.
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