Naivasha-based flower farms might not be able to pay salaries in the coming months if the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic persists.
But the workers will get their salaries for March although subsequent payments will largely depend on the Covid-19 situation.
The pandemic has disrupted business with travel restrictions leaving flowers without key markets in Europe.
The government has already promised to support flower farms following the developments.
Already, the sector has sent more than 2,000 workers on a two-week paid leave by following the collapse of the Dutch auction which takes over 50 percent of exports from the country.
In the last week, some flower farms have resorted to destroying flowers worth millions of shillings every day as the product cannot reach the EU market.
Naivasha subcounty commissioner Mathioya Mbogo said the sector was very critical to the country’s economy and the national government would release support measures.
Mathioya said that he and other senior government officers had visited the affected farms and promised them support.
“We have had several meetings with the farmers and assured them of government support as they support hundreds of families both directly and indirectly,” Mathioya said.
He said Naivasha was home to tens of flower farms and warned that if the workers were sent home, there could be social disorder and a rise in crime.
Mathioya said they had asked the farms not to sack their workers.
“We hope that this pandemic will be contained as job losses in this town could lead to chaos and the farmers have agreed not to lay off their workers,” he said.
Maridadi Flower Farm proprietor Jack Kneppers said they would be making a major decision this week.
Speaking after touring his farm, Kneppers said they have salaries for this month but was not sure about next month because they rely on sales to pay workers.
“Earlier in the week, we sent 150 workers home as we monitor the situation and nothing has changed meaning we could send more home,” Kneppers said.
His farm has 750 employees.
“We are making losses running to over Sh500,000 every day. At this rate, we could be forced to close down in a couple of weeks,” he said.
Kenya Export, Floriculture, Horticulture and Allied Workers Union secretary general David Omulama said more than 15 farms had already sent some of their workers home.
"In most cases, the employers had agreed to pay the workers their salaries in the period that they would be away as the monitor the situation," Omulama said.
edited by peter obuya
