Kenya: Best Grower and Breeder announced at IFTEX 2014

Three years after its colourful launch in Nairobi, IFTEX is arguably heading to become one of the leading flower trade shows in the world. The event has marked a new record as the fastest growing event in the history of international flower trade fairs, attracting flower growers from even other continents to exhibit.

"It is like a tornado, the show has a fresh face at every turn, there is no telling where it is heading but what is clear, is its phenomenal growth towards a world class trade exhibition," says Jasper van Dijk, spokesman of the organizers of the fair. A total of 187 exhibitors exhibited last week and 3,231 visitors attended the 3 day show. 54 different countries were counted "at the door", a great achievement in the mission of bringing the world to source flowers in the country where they are grown.

The Best Grower & Best Breeder Quality Competitions were held this year under the supervision of the well known Dutch juror Gerard de Wagt, who was impressed by the quality of flowers that were brought in for this year’s competitions. A jury of 4 persons came to the following results:

Best Breeder Competition:

Bronze Award
Category: Roses
Variety: Amina
Company: Preesman Kenya

Silver Award
Category: Roses
Variety: Queen of Africa
Company: Select Breeding

Gold Award
Category: Roses
Variety: Firestar
Company: Terra Nigra

Gold Award
Category: Other cut Flowers
Variety: Limonium, Safora® Lilac
Company: Danziger "Dan" Flower Farm

Platinum Award
Category: Roses
Variety: SunQueen
Company: Select Breeding

Best Growers Competition:

Bronze Award
Category: Roses
Variety: Tycoon
Company: Ayana

Silver Award
Category: Roses
Variety: Fireworks
Company: Golden Tulip Farms

Gold Award
Category: Roses
Variety: Freedom
Company: Ayana

Gold Award
Category: Other cut Flowers
Variety: Statice, Crystal Dark
Company: Oserian Development Company Ltd.

Platinum Award
Category: Roses
Variety: Maritim
Company: Uhuru Flowers

IFTEX has given the Kenya flower industry a different face with renewed worldwide attention especially from flower buyers who travelled to Nairobi last week to seek and speak in Kenya with their suppliers. The internationalization of the fair has lead the event to grow into a top Kenya flower brand event, strengthening the country’s position as a leader in global markets while enhancing the image of Kenya as the home from where 40% of the flowers sold in Europe originate.

"IFTEX came at the right time for the Kenya flower industry, since it is now in the process of market consolidation and retention by positioning its flowers as responsibly grown and that picture can only be seen at a show in the country itself," Jane Ngige CEO of the Kenya Flower Council said.

For more information, visit www.iftex.org

Publication date: Fri 13 Jun 2014