southern province KAMONYI — Flower farmers in Kamonyi district have appealed to district leaders to reduce land rent from Frw5000 to Frw1000 on 40 hectares of land they were recently given for growing flowers. Speaking to The New Times last week, Gabriel Ndendabanga, the president of Flower farmers’ association said the district has given them land as a way of promoting the horticulture industry, but their annual rent of Frw5, 000 is high for them. Ndendabanga said they want to plant ‘Dracaena ornamental tree’ Flower species. This type of flower is believed to have high demand in Europe especially in the Netherlands and so, we can exploit this ready market, he said. Ndendabanga observed that the flower industry has had a steady growth with close to 1,600 members. He also said his association has equipped farmers with modern flower production skills and techniques; which they would utilize to improve output of cut-roses from about 200 hectares of land and that the 40 hectares would just act as a supplement. At least 20 members of the association recently were sent for study tour in Naivasha-Kenya. The land has come at a suitable time when we have trained farmers from Kenya one of East Africa’s flower producers and earning about $110 millions per annum. So we too can now try to compete favorably since we even have a good climate, he said referring to the newly acquired piece of land. He said the land has come at a time when the government projects to earn $21 million, [approximately Frw11.8 billion] from horticulture exports by 2010. Today the sector generates $1.5 billion, [approximately Frw840 million] annually and it is projected that in the next four years the sector exports will have increased by $19.5 million [about Frw10.9 million] annually, according to experts. Ends
