Eyes Abroad: celebrations in China and clouds in Kenya
The weather might be remarkably indecisive in the UK but thankfully this is the part where we take our eyes abroad and look at five stories from across the globe.
The optimism for the week ahead is shining, the coffee isn’t even bitter and the possibilities of what could be achieved in the week ahead are boundless.
We even start off with a first for eyes abroad in that we don’t start off in Bavaria, and instead we look towards a celebration in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong celebrates anniversary with horticultural activities
In an effort to raise public interest in planting and horticulture, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of Hong Kong will hold horticultural activities around the theme of ‘Let’s Go Green in Celebration of the National Day’ from 28 September to 1 October.
It’s being held to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, from 10am to 6pm daily, at the Arcade and the Green Education and Resource Centre of Kowloon Park.
The activities will include planting workshops, pot-planting activities, a thematic exhibition, game stalls, talks and guided tours and admission is free, although visitors in traditional Chinese costumes will be given a souvenir gift.
A thematic exhibition entitled ‘Enjoy Exploring the Rich Floral World’ will also be held at the Kowloon Park Arcade, where members of the public can learn more about the functions, structures, shapes, inflorescence, colours of flowers, factors affecting flowering and their uses in daily life.
Although on a more difficult note, we now head over to Kenya with some potentially problematic legislation has been proposed.
Clouds gather over Kenyan horticultural industry
A bill introduced to Kenyan parliament could cause severe issues for the Kenyan horticultural industry should it pass.
The Horticultural Crops Authority Bill of 2024 would require growers of horticultural crops to use inputs from a registered source.
Growers would also need to register with the respective counties, with the punishment for not doing so being fines ranging between one and two million shillings or getting handed a three-year jail term.
It would also see horticultural crops face a levy on exports and imports, with the export levy being 1.5 per cent for any horticultural produce or product.
On a similarly difficult note, we now head south on the continent to Zimbabwe.
Rolling blackouts shed light on power payments
In light of the rolling blackouts across Zimbabwe, its Horticultural Development Council chief executive Linda Neilsen called for a more proportional way of paying for electricity.
Currently the country is experiencing blackouts of up to 16 hours a day, which is hitting the horticultural sector heavily.
It has exposed the issues involved with the current system of paying for electricity, whereby exporters have to receive 25% of their earnings in local currency but 100% of electricity bills must be paid in US dollars.
Linda Neilsen, Horticultural Development Council chief executive officer, says: “This effectively serves as a double tax on the industry. We propose that electricity costs be made payable proportionately in local currency, in line with the revenue split that exporters face.”
Now those stories were a pretty gloomy, but fortunately a gardener in Canada has provided a smile through a quirky competition.
Munched, stolen, survived…
Lone Sorensen, a gardener from Yellowknife in Canada has hosted a gardening competition, with mixed results.
Thanks to a group on social media it quickly evolved to having 80-90 people, but not all cabbages met the same fate.
Sorensen tells CBC Canada: “Some were eaten by rabbits, some of them were vandalised. I had a big cabbage growing in another garden and it was just gone.”
The winners took home $100 worth of garden supplies from Northern Roots, as well as an hour-long, one-on-one garden consultation.
Now down to Canada’s southern border and across to the United States as we get word of a promising expansion.
Creo claim a key expansion
Creo Group, the sustainable horticulture packaging solutions provider, has announced the acquisition of United Solutions, a designer, developer, and manufacturer of household products for indoor and outdoor living.
It’s a significant move for Creo, as now it has product offerings beyond horticulture sector and sees it take its first step into home goods.
As part of the transition, Dave Reilly, the CEO of United Solutions, will become the CEO of Creo Group.
Reilly says: “I’m extremely proud of what the United Solutions team has accomplished to become a market leader.
“I am excited to lead the newly combined Creo Group. We look forward to driving growth, innovation, and manufacturing excellence in partnership with Mill Point.”
As a nice brief coda to this, we take the smallest of glances towards Canada once again.
FSC’s Forest Week has got underway with the Canadian Institute of Forestry inviting Canadians to learn more about how it contributes to their cultural heritage. Admittedly this is somewhat local, as covered by our sister title Pro Arb.