Despite Naivasha having more than ten flower farms, the town does not have any single shop to sell the much needed flowers.
Customers often have to move to either Nakuru or Nairobi in search of fresh roses or tulips and residents feel that this is unfair considering the town hosts the major flower farms including Oserian, Plantation Plants and Maridadi flowers.
“Even during occasions like burials we cannot access wreaths and we have to outsource them. This is ironic since the town produces 90 per cent of the world roses,” said John Kamau, a businessman.
The residents are thus requesting the county government to place booths that will enable them to sell or buy the flowers in the area.
“We are sure that there are rejects from the flower farms that cannot be exported. Even though they are not of high quality, getting them will be cheaper than travelling up to Nakuru to get flowers,” he cited.
Nakuru Chair of Commerce Julie Njuguna promised to look into the matter saying Naivasha residents should be the first consumers of the products they produce.
"We will look for ways of ensuring that they at least get access to the flowers at a cheap and affordable rate,' he said.