China opens up market for Kenya’s fruit as way of creating trade balance

A worker at Sunripe factory in Limuru Town, Kiambu County, Kenya, arranges avocados on August 2, 2022. The first batch of fresh avocados grown in Kenya and destined for the Chinese market was sent off this month at a ceremony attended by senior government officials, diplomats, and industry executives. Kenya became the first African country to export fresh avocados to China. Photo: Xinhua

NAIROBI, Kenya - Asian giant -China has opened up its market to fruit farmers from Kenya. This move is a way of balancing the trade between China and East African powerhouse Kenya.

The new plan will help create a wider market share for Kenyan agriculture products especially avocado which is one of the major agricultural exports to China.

Earlier this year China cleared Kenya to export fresh avocado to its market.

Kenya was granted market access to export frozen avocados to China, making Kenya the first African nation to export frozen avocados to China.

According to Wilfred Marube -CEO-Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA) Kenya is now among the largest African producers and exporters of Avocados to China.

He added that China is working with Kenya to enhance production and supply capacities adding that this will drive growth in the agricultural sector and at the same time improve the country’s economy.

The communique from the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) is working closely with relevant institutions in Kenya on matters of plant health, in a bid to benefit from China’s commitment to enhancing production and supply capacities.

Mwarube was speaking during the 2022 China - Africa fruits promotion conference that is currently underway in China.

Chen Dayan -inspector of the department of commerce of Hunan Province said the country is keen on importing more fruits from Africa.

“Innovation and best standard practices are the future of China-Africa co-operation. We look forward to importing more green, high-quality African products to enhance the fruit industry.”

Africa, Secretary general of China fruit marketing association, Cheng Lei said. It has imported fruits from Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Egypt.

The Economic Survey 2022 shows Kenya’s trade deficit widened to Sh1.407 trillion in 2021 as the value of imports greatly outweighed export earnings.

It puts the value of imports at Sh2.151 trillion in 2021 up from Sh1.643 trillion in 2020, a 30.9 percent growth.

GAROWE ONLINE