Floriculture is included in the plans of the Chinese investors to expand employment opportunities and gross annual revenue in the county.

Since January 2015, aggressive efforts have been made by the Nakuru county leadership to woo Chinese investors with the monetary capacity to establish economic initiatives within its boundaries.

"They have the potential to make extensive investments in the county since they have the resources and a network of more than 10,000 investors. We are ready to support the Chinese in their endevevors to invest in the county, Nakuru has a diversity of investment opportunities for both the public and private investors to explore," Nakuru Deputy Governor, Joseph Ruto, said.

Julong Group of Companies and Oriental Agricultural recently expressed plans to establish flower farms Naivasha, an area in Nakuru County producing more than 75 percent of the cut flowers exported from the country.

"With the Chinese in the flower sector, we will have a new dimension in the industry and perhaps learn some tips on how to boost of our productivity," said Kamau Njuguna, the Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Nakuru County Chapter chairman. According to Njuguna, the Chinese would produce high quality flowers to be sold in China and Japan.

Since 2009, Kenya has received more Chinese investors than in the previous years. A report by the Federation of Kenya Employers shows that working visa applications grew by 93.1 percent from 1,075 in 2009 to 2,076 in 2013.

The publication, Doing Responsible Business in Africa (2015), further notes that 386 firms owned by the Chinese had been registered in Kenya by the end of 2014.

Source: Hortibiz, based on information from Coastweek