The Kenya’s Agriculture and Food Authority on Monday, July 12, warned produce traders from washing their products using dirty water.
One key announcement revolved around cleaning of produce especially those who trade in carrots.
The authority’s boss Kello Harsuma warned traders who clean their horticultural produce using dirty water, especially carrot traders to desists or face serious action.
The authority announced a number of new measures to help guide horticulture traders and the stakeholders.
Some of the measures included directives that any horticultural produce should not weigh more 50 kilograms.
Those who violate the directives will face the full force of the law.
Traders who have often bundled horticultural products with other non-food materials like cement or other products that can contaminate foods during transportation have been warned.
This means that horticultural products will not be ferried together with other unrelated materials.
The government through the foods authority has also banned collection or aggregation of food products on the ground along the roadsides such as the highways.
Meanwhile, fresh horticultural exports in 2020 hit Ksh150.2 billion from 313,668 metric tonnes of produce compared to Ksh.143 billion in 2019 from 328,335 metric tonnes.
Vegetables and fruits accounted for KSH. 24.2 (16%) and Ksh.18.8 (12%) Billion respectively from 105,060 metric tonne.