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{
    "id": 32522,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/32522/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 162,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Mbiuki",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Agriculture",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 79,
        "legal_name": "Japhet M. Kareke Mbiuki",
        "slug": "japhet-kareke-mbiuki"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I really wish to apologize for coming in late. I was getting copies of the answer out there so that I can table it in this House because this is a comprehensive Question. I really apologize for getting here late. I now beg to reply. (a) I have not estimated the loss of revenue due to lack of value addition in horticulture and floriculture because flowers are sold as finished products at flower auctions. Some are sold directly through supermarkets. Most fresh agricultural produce, vegetables and fruits are also sold directly to consumers or to supermarkets. The estimated loss in revenue due to export of raw product of coffee, tea and macadamia as well as cashew nuts is to the tune of more than Kshs82 billion. I wish to lay on the Table the document showing the value-addition losses resulting from the exports. A lot of effort has been put in value addition on coffee and tea commodities. Branding was completed last year and funds have been set aside by the Government for this purpose. During the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 Financial Years, the Coffee Board of Kenya and the European Union, jointly funded branding initiatives and local and international promotional activities for Kenyan coffee to the tune of Kshs4.5 million. In the same period, the Tea Board of Kenya spent Kshs83.5 million on the branding initiative which included the launching of the mark of origin for Kenyan tea and geographical indications focusing on information on quality and the unique characteristics of Kenyan tea. On macadamia and cashew nuts, efforts to promote value addition by banning exports of raw nuts were curtailed by lack of local processing capacity and failure by the existing factories to buy the nuts resulting in low prices to farmers. Those farmers appealed to the Minister to suspend the ban for a while to enable them to sell the crop which was rotting in their stores. (b) The Government does not plan to impose total ban on non-value added agricultural products. However, it is undertaking reforms on each commodity to promote value addition. (c) I am not aware that the flower industry is losing Kshs42 billion annually due to double pricing locally and abroad. However, I am aware that there is a difference of between Kshs2 billion to Kshs5 billion which is 14 per cent between the declared and the actual prices of flowers at the auction. Thank you."
}