Uganda: First Flower Crop Enters US Market
As Ugandan flower exporters continue to explore alternative markets for their cut flowers, the exporters have penetrated the US market for the first time.
On Tuesday, the first consignment of over 500,000 hydroponics roses from Rosebud Ltd left for the US aboard a KLM flight.
The shipment was witnessed at Entebbe International Airport by the Executive Director Uganda Flower Exporters Association (UFEA), Mr Keith Henderson, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Agricultural Advisor, Mr James Dunn, Agricultural Productivity Enhancement Programme (APEP) Managing Director, Mr Clive Drew, and Strengthening the Competitiveness of Private Enterprise (SCOPE) Managing Director, Mr John Engle.
"We want to diversify our market segment. In particular, we want to grow with the US market, which looks very promising and much more paying than the Dutch option," Rosebud Ltd's General Manager Peter Mwangi said.
Mwangi said Rosebud has confirmed orders for a selection of varieties and are shipping the orders over Amsterdam to Miami using KLM cargo facilities. "Another order is coming through March and May, so it is a growing thing," he said.
Flower exporters have accessed the US market through USAID's assistance. SCOPE and USAID have assisted the flower exporters with among other things, the US entry regulations, export documentation and certification of origin.
"USAID has been telling American people the benefits of buying in Africa," SCOPE's Trade and Investment Facilitation Specialist Brian Buckley said.
In September 2004 UFEA, with the assistance of USAID, presented the Floriculture Business Competitiveness Plan 2005 - 2010, which was the result of the combined efforts of the growers within the floriculture industry and the public and private sector institutions that support this industry.
"The targets set for the business plan period through 2010 are based on the assumptions that: 50 percent of industry growth will come from new investment; 30 percent will come from expansion of existing industry; 20 percent will come from improvements in productivity and technology," Buckley said.
Flower exports enter the US market duty and quota free under the African Growth and Opportunity Act initiative.
The flower exporters' move for alternative markets follows what they called saturation of their traditional markets of Europe and Holland. They said this had led to the drop in flower prices.
Exporters say the US market offers 20 cents per stem compared to the Dutch market, which they say offers between 10-12 cents per stem.
Henderson said on January 22 they were now targeting the Far East countries through the Dubai hub and America through Miami.
Rosebud located on Entebbe Road, is the biggest flower company in Uganda and ranked among the top three farms in East Africa. Kenya has the biggest flower farms and is the biggest exporter of flowers in the region.
Contact List for all Flower Growers and Exporters
(The international dialing code for Uganda is + 256 + Area Code + Tel #)
Aurum Roses
Contact: Kunal Lodhia
Telephone: 071 333999, 041 510200
Fax: 041 533570,
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Escimo, Chelsea, Sunbeam, Red Calypso
African Agro Industries/Xpressions
Contact: Diamond Droliya
Telephone: 071 202005, 041 256875
Fax: 041 256870
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Escimo, Lambada, First Red, Frisco, Maxime, Black Beauty, Tina, Sacha,Hocus Pocus
Belflowers
Contact: Mark Graves
Telephone: 077 740101, 039 740112
Fax: 039 251113
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Dream, Lambada, Sunbeam, Aloha, Iceberg, Goldy, Revue, Pasha and Kordes Trials
Fiduga
Contact: John Rutten
Telephone: 077 722037, 039 722032
Fax: 039 280806
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Chrysanthemums
Jambo Roses
Contact: Daniel Kiryango
Telephone: 075 748077, 075 784551
Fax: 041 344532
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Escada, Frisco, Lambada, Noblesse, Tineke, Sacha, Valentino, Odelia, Inka, Gotcha
Kajjansi Roses
Contact: U.N. Bhat
Telephone: 075 722128, 041 200959
Fax: 041 200314
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Starlite, Escimo, Lambada, Dream, Red Calypso, Poeme, Chelsea, Sunbeam
Magic
Contact: Jan Krul
Telephone: 077 744623, 041 220710
Fax: 041 223880
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Poeme, Sunbeam, Sacha
Mairye Estates
Contact: Mahmood Hudda
Telephone: 077 744620, 041 220711
Fax: 041 220712
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Chelsea, Frisco, Escimo, Sancha, Maxime, Souvenir, Lambada
Melissa Flowers
Contact: Toby Maddison
Telephone: 077 722262, 039 722270
Fax: 031 250123
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Tivoli, Red Giant, Revue, Duo Unique, Marie Claire, Valentino, Poeme, Jupiter, Akito, Golden Gate, Jambo, Red Calypso, Sunbeam
Oasis Nurseries
Contact: Vincent Senyonjo
Telephone: 071 286534, 031 263444
Fax: 041 233444
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Amore, Dream, Escimo, Gabriella, Golden Gate, Maxime
Pearl Flowers
Contact: Raghbir Sandhu
Telephone: 077 725567, 041 232578
Fax: 041 344519
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Frisco, Rodeo, Black Beauty, Safari, Chelsea
Rosebud I & II
Contact: Sudhir Ruparelia, Peter Mwangi
Telephone: 077 777743, 039 733029
Fax: 039 280371
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web site: www.rosebudlimited.com
Products Exported: Frisco, Escimo, Rodeo, Sunbeam, Dream, Lambada, Red Calypso, Hocus Pocus, Black Beauty, Chelsea, Maxime
Uganda Hortec
Contact: Carlos W. Odoro
Telephone: 077 748217, 041 448279
Fax: 041 448130
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web site: www.mehtagroup.com/flori.htm
Products Exported: Iceberg, Konfetti, Chelsea, Sunbeam, Frisco First Red
UgaRose
Contact: Stanley Mulumba
Telephone: 077 498216, 041 221244
Fax: 041 223808
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: First Red, Lambada, Golden Gate, Dream, Escimo
Royal Van Zanten (U) Ltd.
Contact: Jacques Schrier
Telephone: 077 765555, 031 234100
Fax: 031 234210
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Chrysanthemums
Venus Farms (U) Ltd.
Contact: S.N. Kapoor, Bashker Kotecha
Telephone: 077 709894, 041 349062
Fax: 041 349063
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web site: www.midlandgroup.net/exports.html
Products Exported: Chelsea, Poeme, Frisco, Sunbeam, Konfetti, Escimo, Sacha
Victoria Flowers (U) Ltd.
Contact: Rene G. Bartoli
Telephone: 071 730066, 041 320255
Fax: 041 321438
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Sunbeam, Lambada, Vanilla, Escimo, Maxime, Red Calypso
Wagagai
Contact: Pim De Witte, Olav Boenders
Telephone: 071 727372, 071 727377, 041 321222
Fax: 041 321221
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Products Exported: Red Calypso, Escimo, Frisco, Maxime, Lambada, Esprit, Poeme, Chrysanthemums, Poissentia
Fresh Handling Limited
Contact: Rene G. Bartoli (Chairman FHL)
Telephone: 071 730066, 041 320255
Fax: 041 321438
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
OR
General Manager
Contact: Graham Stone
Telephone: 077 200499,
Fax: 041 321827
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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