Elgon Kenya Ltd - Floriculture Industry Supplier of the Month

In our new series highlighting suppliers in the floriculture sector, Elgon Kenya is the supplier of the month for December 2016. Elgon Kenya one of the region’s biggest firms in agri-input supplies. Since inception in 1980, the company has partnered with farmers in the horticultural and floricultural sector and remains a pivotal player in the growth of the industry especially in Kenya.

The company’s footprint on Kenya’s floriculture is much notable as they are the exclusive distributors for MNCs like BASF, Dupont, Sumitoma, Cheminova, Excel Crop care Ltd, UPL, Chemtura, Russel IPM & Sinochem Ningbo while on Non exclusive basis for Bayer E A Ltd, Syngneta E A Ltd, Arysta life Sc. This makes Elgon Kenya the single largest company providing more than 125 original molecules and around 25 generic molecules into Kenya Floriculture industry.

The National Farmers Awards
The awards program is a brainchild of Elgon Kenya ltd in partnership with the Kenya Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries and other relevant arms in the County level. Established in 2013, the awards scheme has become an important annual event among farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector.

This year’s event was held November 4 2016 at the Laico Regency in a colorful gala event which saw 24 farmers from across the country being feted in various categories. The list of winners portrayed a growing interest in innovation, embracing of best practices and involvement of more women and youth in sustainable farming.

“This year’s event has attracted the largest number of participants. We are glad the award scheme is transforming agriculture through mentorship, and farmers learning from each other, ultimately steering the country into food sufficiency. It is what we envisioned the award to achieve,” said Nelson Maina, Head of Communication Elgon Kenya.

Championing for the industry
In a past article (READ HERE), the MD of Elgon Kenya Ltd  Bimal Kantaria, voiced concern over the delay in signing of the EPA EAC agreement. The deal which was recently signed and ratified saved the country’s horticultural industry from a possible loss of 3.8 million euros every month. In his article headlined “Address bottlenecks stifling the Kenyan flower industry” Mr Kantaria urged the private sector and government to agree on a platform that is supportive of a sector that gives Kenya her national pride.