BY THE ARUSHA NEWS REPORTER
Horticulture stakeholders from Eastern Africa have launched the Horticulture Council of Eastern Africa (HoCEA), a private-sector-led body aimed at strengthening regional trade, investment and cooperation in the fast-growing industry.
The council was formally launched last Tuesday, September 22, in Nairobi, Kenya, during a two-day Regional Public-Private Dialogue on Horticultural Logistics and Trade Facilitation, with Tanzania’s Dr Jacqueline Mkindi, Chief Executive Officer of the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA), serving as chairperson.
“The process is intended to strengthen collaboration between government, industry and regional institutions and create clearer pathways for addressing challenges that cannot be resolved by individual businesses or countries acting alone,” Dr Mkindi said.
Among the challenges facing the industry are high freight costs, inadequate cold-chain facilities, delays at borders and ports, fragmented digital trade systems and differing sanitary, phytosanitary and certification requirements.
The council is expected to promote harmonised standards, improve market access, strengthen logistics and cold-chain systems and help the region take greater advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Tanzania enters the regional initiative with a rapidly expanding horticulture industry. Government figures show the country produced an estimated 7.5 million tonnes of horticultural crops in 2024, with a national target of doubling production to 15 million tonnes by 2030.
