Management of all cultural practices in the greenhouse is the key to quality roses, which is the theme of the Production team and thus the aim to ensure all
operations, are done timely and effectively. Training of workers is a routine, to help each individual realize the importance of the job he/she is doing. The focus is
on the product which will be delivered to the buyer and the first steps to fulfill the buyers requirements starts from the field.In field, special emphasis is given to
cut stage and transportation of flowers to cold rooms without damaging and bruising the flowers from field.A well trained scouting and spray team helps to keep
the farm pest and disease free. Both the teams are trained every six months for Pest and Disease Identification and Reporting Procedures and Effective and Safe
Use of Pesticides and Fungicides respectively.Humidification and dehumidification processes are followed to maintain proper humidity conditions within the
greenhouses which are an important part to attain good head sizes and also to control pests and diseases. Re-entry levels are practiced for each chemical as per
WHO classifications to avoid exposure of chemicals to general workers after sprays. All workers handling chemicals undergo periodic medical tests to ensure
proper health. Proper bathrooms with soaps are provided to the sprayers to maintain hygiene after sprays. A proper rotation of sprayers is followed irrespective
of their medical history to avoid any over exposure of chemicals to an individual.
Desire Flora has one of the best cold room storage facilities. With a spacious grading hall with the capacity to handle 30 hectares production the operations are
handled in the most efficient way to process the flowers as per the customer’s requirements. The flowers are graded, sorted, bunched and cut to grade before
being kept in specially treated post harvest solution for rehydration. The bunched flowers are kept in the final cold room to attain lower temperatures before
being finally packed in flower boxes. Packaging of boxes is done inside the cold room by packers who are provided with proper cold room protective clothing.
After packing the boxes are again pre cooled on the pre cooling wall to ensure lower inbox dispatch temperatures to maintain the cold chain.
The boxes after pre cooling and attaining a temperature of 4 degrees are then loaded on the refrigerated truck for their onward journey to the Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport at Nairobi from where they are finally shipped to their final destination.
FLOW CHART OF OPERATIONS ON FARM
1. Propagation – Rose cuttings are grafted to make new young plants and multiplied in required numbers in the propagation house for planting in greenhouse for commercial cultivation.