Kenya risks losing the European Union market if efforts to revive pyrethrum production are not fast-tracked, a lobby group has said.
Speaking to reporters in Nakuru town, Pyrethrum Growers Association (PGA) chairman Justus Monda accused the government of lacking commitment to revive the sector, saying it risks losing its market.
Monda said the continued delays in reviving the sector and poor funding from the government has seen farmers abandon growing the crop.
“We risk losing the well-established pyrethrum market in Europe if the government fails to initiate procedures for the pyrethrum sector revival,” said Monda.
The chairman further accused the government of lacking seriousness in pyrethrum farming despite the existence of a ready and available market.
Monda urged Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei to fast-track revival of the sector before farmers lose hope in the crop.
The government has in the past two financial years injected Sh300 million to oversee the revival of the pyrethrum sector. Stakeholders have, however, dismissed the funds as too little to have any impact on the sector.