Nairobi: Kenya will be deepening its effort to increase its horticulture export market share to Italy by 2 percent, the Agriculture Food Authority (AFA) has confirmed. The country is aiming to enhance its presence in the European Union (EU) market by seeking partnerships with key global marketing and trade agencies to promote the export of local produce.
According to Kenya News Agency, Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Director General Dr. Bruno Linyiru stated that Kenya is controlling a substantial market share in the EU market due to its high-quality produce. During the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Italy-based prominent trade fair MACFRUIT and AFA, Linyiru emphasized the focus on tapping into unexploited markets as part of increasing exports.
Kenya is targeting a significant rise, aiming to reach approximately Sh3.6 billion in exports to Italy over the next five years. However, the DG acknowledged that Kenya’s horticultural export volume to the EU declined from 213,180 metric tonnes valued at Sh80.3 billion in 2023 to 188,956 metric tonnes worth Sh71.8 billion in 2024.
Through the MOU, Linyiru explained that the government’s interest is to expose farmers and exporters to the magnitude of the Italian market, allowing exporters to ship more horticulture produce by more than five percent by 2030. He noted that Italy is among the top five export destinations, denoting 3 percent volume and two percent value in 2024, and remains a significant trading partner in horticultural products, ranked 11th globally.
Fruits are the main export crop at 55 percent, followed by flowers at 36 percent, herbs and spices at 18 percent, and vegetables at 1 percent. Linyiru stated that they are committed to maintaining high standards through the Horticultural Code of Practice, ensuring EU requirements are met and the quality of exports is improved. Traceability systems have been implemented to track products from farm to final destination ensuring quality control.
Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD) Ag. Director Christine Chesaro noted that Kenya is a leader in the EU market, but there are still segments of the market that need to be exploited. Efforts are underway to mitigate the risk of the false codling moth (FCM), a challenge that has hindered farmers from shipping products. Over 70 percent of farmers are already on track to comply with new EU regulations.
The president of MACFRUIT, Renzo Piraccini, mentioned Kenya’s potential not only in avocados but also across various horticultural sectors. He highlighted the importance of the upcoming MACFRUIT exhibition in Italy in May, which will create business opportunities and provide valuable knowledge.
Meanwhile, data by AFA indicates that Kenya’s horticulture export volumes and values to Italy over the last five years totaled 23,217 tonnes valued at Sh10.4 billion, representing 3 percent of Kenya’s total EU Sh375 billion export value.