The most commonly grown herbs for export are chives,mint,dill,basil and terragon.Vegatable for export are commonly French beans,runner beans,tender stem broccoli,snowpeas,baby corn and pakchoi.
The life cycle of a crop mostly starts at the nursery where propagation is done .There is a need of using Optimizer ,the number one biostimulant,stress manager and also in breaking seed dormancy.It is a pure natural fermented seaweed Liquid bio-fertilizer enriched with chelating NPK and contains natural plant hormones (Auxins, Cytokinnins, Gibberellins), amino acids, alginic acid, mannitol, betaine, arachidonic acid, carbohydrates, vitamins, nucleotides, humic acids and counter – stress agents as well as macro-elements and microelements.
Exporters of fresh vegetables and herbs have been having challenges in finding short PHI (Post Harvest Interval ) products to encounter downy mildew,rust and powdery mildew .
For herbs and vegetables we have brought on board Biosure 120sl, a zero day contact biofungicide ,a complete solution to downy mildew,rust and anthracnose to all fresh herbs and vegetables at a rate of 1litre per Hectare.
Another milestone that has been a smile to exporters is Explorer 3sl a unique natural systemic fungicide with preventive and curative actions.It is a plant extract(clove oil) which is safe for use and crop can be harvested in 24hrs of spray.
These products having the short phi nature have proved to be the preference for the herbs and vegetable exporter.Many average farmers have been asking how one can venture into export of herbs and vegetables.Here is a short advice on what to adhere to before venturing into the sector.
*Good Agricultural Practices
Good Agricultural Practices (KenyaGAP),must be adhered to as they determine whether the produce will get to the export market or not.The practices are grounded on the Global Good Agricultural Practices (GlobalGAP), which are recognised by fresh produce markets and growers worldwide as a measure for achieving a sustainable production.GAP guarantee’s consumer safety, environmental conservation and social welfare.
Before planting, test your soils to ensure they have the right ingredients, use certified seeds, ensure the water you use is clean and free from harmful heavy metals, the farm should be free of pests and diseases and use approved and recommended measures in pest and disease control.
*Ensuring GAP conditions
The Horticulture Crops Directorate (HCD), alongside certifying bodies such as Africert Ltd, is charged with ensuring GAP conditions are met before a farmer is issued with a compliance certificate, therefore certified to start cultivating fresh horticulture produce for export.
The farmer wishing to export produce contacts HCD so that the agency checks on the requisite conditions on the farm before certifying the farmer.
*National Horticulture Traceability System
The farm produce should be free of any chemical traces, pests and diseases, lack any soil or dirt residue, should not be wilted and packages must be well-labelled, with the names of the farmers, exporters and quantity indicated alongside the produce traceability feature.
The traceability feature helps in identifying the source of the fresh produce in case need be, to increase transparency in the horticulture value chain, this is done by the the National Horticulture Traceability System (HTS).
