POST HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES PRACTISED BY INFORMAL FLOWER VENDORS AND FLORISTS WITHIN NAIROBI AND OTHER TOWNS OF KENYA

The local flower market is characterized by informal flower vendors who practice their trade by the roadsides, in municipal markets and on verandas in front of shops within the city centre- read how they minimize post harvest losses. 

Without doubt, cut flowers are beautiful, but delicate commodities needing careful handling; unfortunately, informal traders do not have proper structures from where to sell their flowers nor government support, hence suffer huge post harvest losses ranging from 20-65%; at worst, 100%.

Informal flower vendors are aware of the nature of the products they sell; they have developed post harvest practices aimed at minimizing loses.

The simplest of this practice is storage of the flowers in a bucket containing water.

WATER: IT’S ROLE IN THE POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT OF FLOWERS.

Water rehydrates, cools, maintains the freshness and extends a flower’s vase life. It has been established that a flower will lose up 5-10% of its water; if not rehydrated soon after harvesting or in storage.

Water loss has the effect of inducing flower wilting; seriously reducing its quality. Thus it is important that this water loss is prevented. Sometimes a flower will wilt despite being placed in water.

This is because the ends have been plugged by bacteria or fungi or air bubbles. Translocation of water by xylem vessels fails; no water flows to the foliage and flower.

Cutting of the stem ends, up to 2.5 to 5 cm long, before storage in water done under clean water removes air bubbles that may have formed in the xylem vessels.

To prevent bacterial and fungal plugging, the water is treated with a few drops of household beach; and changed the water daily. Water uptake can be enhanced by adding a few spoons of sugar to the water.

At times, despite doing the aforementioned, the flowers still wilt. It is likely that such flowers were harvested when immature.

As you buy flowers, develop an eye of identifying immature flowers; nothing can be done to prevent them from wilting sooner than mature flowers.

HOW INFORMAL FLOWER VENDORS COOL THEIR FLOWERS.

Informal vendors ply their trade in the most arduous conditions; they have to chase after their customers as they drive in traffic jams in the evenings, contend with ruthless city ‘askaris’ [policemen employed by the city council], high taxation and operating from the street.

They are aware of the effect of blistering heat on cut flowers and have realized that cooling is essential; not only does it slow senescence, but also enhance the bloom of flowers.

They sell flowers late in the evening when the atmospheric temperatures are low. They use the most rudimentary cooling method-water!

Flowers are stored in buckets containing water treated with ‘Jik’- popular cloth bleach that has antiseptic properties. Very few flower vendors refrigerate their flowers; only those florists who own shops in the city centre or in towns do so.

THE QUALITY: OF FLOWERS TRADED BY INFORMAL FLOWER TRADERS.

Most of these traders buy second grade flowers that cannot be sold in the export market due to insect pests, diseases or too mature heads or immature flowers.

However some of the flower vendors argue that they use the second grade flowers in wreath arrangements and wedding floral arrangements that do not necessarily need flowers that last long.

Those who are contracted to supply offices and households prefer to buy better quality flowers for resale.

In conclusion, vendors need training on proper harvest handling on proper harvest handling and value addition procedures. The government should also provide technical support to these traders.