False Codling Moth threatens Kenya's flower exports to EU

The false codling Moth (FCM) which is locally known by Kenyan rose flower growers and citrus crop planters as orange moth is still a threat to Kenyan exports in the European markets, the standard has learnt.

When the world marked the International Day of Plant Health this week, with key stakeholders in Kenya’s floriculture industry celebrating the progress made so far and finding ways of confronting emerging plant health challenges affecting the country’s leading export—roses—the quarantine pest scientifically known as Thaumatotibia Leucatreta was at the centre of discussion on how to eradicate it.

“We are living at a challenging time of climate change. The issue of false codling Moth we are addressing today wasn’t there some years ago, it is an emerging pest with a changing behaviour. It is upon all our stakeholders including farmers, and research institutions among others to come together and fight this menace. We hold a lot of technical information that needs to be relayed to farmers so that we can fight from one front,” says Simon Maina, a Director at the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS).

According to KEPHIS, the quality of planting materials should be considered during planting seasons, “When you plant seeds which are not certified you risk spreading diseases quickly across the country hence killing production environment,”.

FCM is reported to have caused economic losses for Kenya in the EU market with interceptions. The pest is very destructive at the larvae stage of its life cycle where it feeds on pods, fruits and even the flower buds with flowers losing the required elegance.

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Dr. Isaack Macharia from Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services observes that to avoid interceptions they have been able to visit flower farmers and lead in inspecting the crops at the production zones.

“This pest has led the European Union — Kenya’s largest flower market — to impose stringent phytosanitary requirements on exporters. Any failure to meet these standards could result in costly interceptions, risking market access and revenue loss. The use of the right pest control method is vital in flower farming,” Dr. Macharia says.

The Kenya Flower Council (KFC) puts flower farming as an important cash crop for the nation that needs maximum support.

“The biggest Kenya’s market is the EU. To keep on securing this existing market then we emphasize the need for stricter farm-level inspections, accurate documentation, and stronger coordination across the value chain with better private-public partnerships for the growth of our economy. We conclude with a call for total compliance as we protect livelihoods, and ensure the continued growth of Kenya’s flower export industry, which generates billions in revenue and supports thousands of jobs,” Catherine Mukoko, Chief Operations Officer, KFC.

The rose varieties of spray and single head were initially popular on slopes of Rift Valley but with years the farming has spread even at semi-arid areas of Makueni through the use of greenhouses spanning to thousands of hectares in Mtito-Andei.