Kenya: Horticulture industry in treaty plea
The Nation (Nairobi) July 21, 2006
Kenya: Horticulture Industry in Treaty Plea
Nation Correspondent
Nairobi
The horticultural sector is appealing to the Government to lobby other east and southern Africa countries for agreement on the ongoing trade talks between the region and the European Union.
EU is leading trade talks with 16 eastern and southern African countries, which will gradually involve all members of the 79-state Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group to replace the Cotonou Agreement. But the World Trade Organisation wants the agreement that gives exports from ACP countries preferential access to the EU, to be replaced by a reciprocal agreement-EU exports should also enter ACP countries freely.
The trade talks with the EU, known as Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), must be concluded by the start of 2008. Without the EPAs, Kenyan goods will start attracting levies.
Flower farmers representative Kenya Flower Council yesterday said growers are getting anxious about the expiry of the Cotonou Agreement. Council chairman Erastus Mureithi said if Kenya will not have achieved favourable EPAs with the EU by the time it expires next year the consequences will be grave.
"We could end up having our produce subjected to duties of eight to 11 per cent, since Kenya is classified as a non-least developed country (LDC)," he said at a flower farmers’ training in Nairobi.
