Farmers at the Kenyan Coast have been challenged to take up growing horticultural produce for the lucrative export market.
Currently, the bulk of Kenya’s fresh produce for the export market is concentrated around the Rift Valley and Central Kenya regions.
Speaking in Mombasa, Chief Executive Officer of the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya (FPCK),Mr Okisegere Ojepat, said that there was good enabling export infrastructure in the Coastal region and what remained was for farmers to make fresh produce available for the export market.
”You have the new seaport of Lamu which has been operationalised. At the Mombasa Port everything is in pace while the Moi International Airport has undergone massive upgrades and is ready to handle fresh produce for export. We are in discussions with Kenya Railways Corporation to have the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) introduce reefer container services from upcountry to the Coast for shipment overseas,” Ojepat said.
He said that serious engagements with the respective county governments of Mombasa,Kilifi,Tana River and Lamu are ongoing with a view to having farmers in these regions assisted to venture in horticulture farming.
Ojepat said that the Coastal belt is renowned for pineapples,mangoes, chilies,bananas,passion fruits and seafood products.
He said that they have identified markets for chilies in Europe, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Korea.
Horticultural Crop Directorate Director, Mr Benjamin Tito, said that various government agencies and players in the private sector are forging ahead with plans to boost fresh produce export with Nairobi still remaining the main export hub with the seaport in Mombasa being an alternative exit route for the exports.
He said that there exists huge potential for horticulture farming at the Coast through sea and airports which provide cheaper export options for produce emanating from the region farms.
”The Coast has been known to be endowed with traditional crops like the Asian vegetables that have been doing extremely well here,” he said.
Prof Theophilus Mutui, Managing Director of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), said that his agency has re-positioned itself in the Coast region particularly after operationalisation of the Lamu port where they have opened an office.
”Our role in the inspection of agricultural produce destined for both imports and exports makes it prudent for our presence in key exit and and entry ports call hence the recent move to open up in Lamu.We are at the Mombasa as well as Shimoni Port and are also eyeing presence at the Moi International Airport,”Prof Mutui said.
Mr Hosea Machuki ,CEO of Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK) said that there is growing enthusiasm for players in the horticulture sector in the country to continue working together to boost farmers’ earnings.
And Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Acting General Manager Marketing and Business Development, Mr Jacob Bwana, said that the recent upgrade works at Moi International Airport and expected development at the Malindi Airport will boost cargo airlift from the region including fresh produce exports.
Kenya’s vegetable exports hit sh24 billion in 2020 compared to Sh25 billion in 2019.
Ojepat said that Kenya shipped approximately 60,000 tons of vegetables compared to 73,000 tons achieved in 2019.
He attributed the reason for declining revenues was the reduced market demand due to lockdowns especially in the European Union and Britain in 2020.
He observed that the continued spread of Covid-19 in the key markets for Kenyan vegetables was likely to have an impact on the sector performance this year but was quick to add that the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccines will enable economies to return to normal so that they can consume fresh produce from Kenya.
According to the industry lobby, the key vegetable exports include French beans and snow peas which are mostly sold to the European Union and Great Britain.
Ojepat said that emerging markets for vegetables include the Middle East and Asian nations.
He observed that Kenya earned $167 million from exports of fruits in 2020 compared to 120 million dollars in 2019.
He noted that the country sold over 104,000 tons of fruits overseas last year with avocado and mangoes as key products.
Ojepat said that stakeholder engagements with the government are geared towards expansion of the export market from the traditional European and Asian regions to the United States of America, North Africa and West Africa regions which have immense potential for imports respectively.