Key Export Products & Services

 Kenya prides herself of a blooming flower sector. Kenya is Africa’s lead exporter of flowers and ranks as the third largest exporter of flowers globally. The most significant markets for Kenyan flowers are the European Union, United States of America, United Kingdom, Russia, Australia, Asia and Africa

 Kenya produces roses, carnations, alstroemeria, gypsophila, lilies, eryngiums, arabicum, hypericum, statice, and other summer flowers. Kenyan flowers grow in pure volcanic soils in high altitude areas, which is the secret behind the premium quality. However, the main ingredient is the love, care and nurture they receive from the onset, through the hands of happy workers whose livelihoods have been completely transformed by the flower industry

• Kenyan flowers are world renowned with unique characteristics such as novelty, longer shelve lives, diverse and beautiful.
• Kenya’s flower exports have grown in volume and value over the years with roses having the most demand worldwide.

The wide geographical and climatic diversity together with complementary irrigation has allowed production of vegetables throughout the year that target both local and international markets.

 Vegetables grown in Kenya include tomatoes, cabbage, kales, garden peas, French beans, spinach, snow peas, carrots, pepper, snap peas, butternut, broccoli, runner beans, courgetti, cauliflory, beetroots, baby corn, radish, sweet corn, lettuce and turnips. Asian vegetables grown in Kenya include eggplant, dudhi, okra, karella, tindori, turia and valor. The country is also producing aromatic plants which include; bulb onions, spring onions, coriander, garlic, long cayenne, bixa, rosemary, stevia, lemongrass, bullet chilli, parsley, ginger, chives, leeks, turmeric, basil, vanilla, celery and jatropha.

•  Vegetables farming in Kenya continues to attract investors due to the solid infrastructure, favourable climate, global positioning of Kenya and productive workforce.
• Vegetable farmers comprise of large, medium and small-scale producers who have attained high management standards and have invested heavily in value addition through adoption of modern technology in production, precision farming and marketing.
• Kenya exports vegetables to Pakistan, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Egypt, and United Arab Emirates

The Kenyan weather is conducive for a variety of fruits to thrive because it can accommodate different types of fruits for better yields. Fruit farmers in Kenya have several options on the type of fruits to venture in depending on their investment plan.

 The fruits grown in Kenya include banana, mango, pineapple, avocado, watermelon, pawpaw, lime, orange, purple passion, yellow passion, tree tomato, lemons, guavas, tangerine, loquats, pears, grapefruit, grapes, plums, sweet melon, custard apple, strawberries, apples, thorn melon, peaches, pepino melon and jackfruit.

• Farmers utilise modern technologies some of which includes drip irrigation, fertigation systems, greenhouse ventilation systems, net shading, fertilizer recycling systems to prevent wastage, use of wetlands for wastewater treatment, artificial lighting to increase day length for long day crops, and post-harvest handling facilities and techniques.
• Kenya’s top export destinations for fruits include Netherlands, USA, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and France

 This subsector is important as a source of processed edible oil, animal feed and industrial oil. The scheduled nuts and oil crops in Kenya include coconut, Cashew nuts, Macadamia, Oil palm, Sunflower, Sesame, Castor, Canola, Peanuts, Bambara nuts, Sunflower, jojoba, linseed (flax seed)

 Macadamia nuts are mainly grown in the central part of Kenya such as Muranga, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Embu and Meru. These are the places that the tree was first introduced when it came into Kenya. With time, the tree has spread to other areas of the country such as Bungoma, Kakamega, Kitale, Machakos and Taita Taveta

 Kenya is the third largest exporter of macadamia after Australia and South Africa. It is grown by an estimated 200,000 smallholder macadamia farmers across the country while the rest is cultivated under plantation farms.

Kenyan macadamia nuts are grown in the mineral rich highlands. Macadamias will grow on a wide range of soils but perform best on welldrained soils, preferably 1-2 m deep and high in organic matter.

• There are two main varieties of macadamia grown; Integrifolia and tetraphylla M. Tetraphylla is preferred for its ability to germinate uniformly, grow faster, and are considered somewhat easier to graft and transplant and produces slightly spindle shaped nut.
• Macadamia is considered the world’s finest dessert nut because of its delicate taste and numerous health benefits; it is the king of nuts.
• Nuts are enjoyed in various ways, with the most popular being an exciting gourmet snack. It can be enjoyed as roasted and salted table nuts, honey coated or chocolate covered nuts. Macadamia nut chips are blended into breads, cookies, biscuits, pastries, icecream, bakery toppings etc.

 Cashew nut is among the oldest cash crops in the Kenyan Coast and a major source of income for smallholder farmers mainly in Kilifi, Kwale, Mombasa, Tana River and Lamu Counties

 The Crop is also grown in Tharaka Nithi County and expansion is ongoing to other parts of Eastern region. The tree is fairly drought resistant and grows well even on marginal soils where other fruit trees would fail. The best soils for growing cashew are Well drained, deep (2-3m) sandy soils. Cashew is a drought tolerant crop requiring a minimum of 500mm per annum 1,000 mm is sufficient for production. Average of around 25C is ideal temperature.

•  Kenyan Cashews are low in sugar and rich in fiber, heart-healthy fats, and plant protein.
• They’re also a good source of copper, magnesium, and manganese — nutrients important for energy production, brain health, immunity, and bone health.
• Broken kernels are used in confectionery and sometimes as substitute for almonds. Ground cashew kernels can replace peanut butter in exotic dishes.

The country’s tropical climate and deep reddish soil (high mineral content) is perfect for making tea bushes thrive and producing the best tea. Tea bushes are grown at high altitude of over 8,000 feet and this contribute to the higher antioxidant levels contained in the leaves. The tea plants are nourished year-round sunshine and abundant rainfall. The tea leaves are moist, and they grow all year round. Farmers pluck the tea carefully, tender apical portions of the shoots, two leaves and one new bud, which is good for a fine black tea. The leaves are gathered, dried and cut to be packed into loose leaf bags or teabags.

Tea processing facilities in Kenya meet local and international quality standards and are certified. Kenyan tea production complies with sustainable and trade practices and have most of the private certification such as fair-trade certification, Rainforest Alliance Certification, among others. Kenyan tea has a distinct taste and quality; has a bright amber colour and a full-bodied flavour.

Kenya tea is of high quality and safe due to:

• Adherence to good agricultural practices (no pesticides or agro chemicals).
• Good husbandry practices and selection of high-quality varieties.
• Skillful processing practices (no additives, preservatives or artificial colouring).
• Continuous improvements due to investment in modern technology and R&D; commitment to Global and National Food Safety standards (ISO, HACCP, KS1927).
• Compliance with environmental and social market requirements (Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP), Fair Trade, among others). Kenyan farmers also maintain sustainable practices so as not to negatively affect Kenyan natural resources as well as diminish the quality of their tea.

All Kenya coffee is Arabica coffee grown on the rich volcanic soil found in the highlands of the country, 1400-2000 meters above sea level, and harvested during the months of October through December. Most of Kenyan coffees are produced by smallholding farms. The farmers pick up the ripened cherries to be de-pulped and to take out the crust of coffee beans.
The beans are then fermented to get rid of their sugary coating called the mucilage, and dried on the patios, turned and tossed frequently so that some moisture is retained, and the coffee beans get the desired bluish colour. After they are fully sun-dried and milled, the coffee beans are destined for bulk trade.

Kenyan coffee is medium roasted, robust and sophisticatedly crafted coffee beans that are revered for their highest grade on the rating scales. Kenyan coffee, with its rich body, has high acidity, intense flavour, delightful aroma and lingering the complex sweetness.

•  The majority of Kenyan coffees are produced by smallholding farms by the skilled farmers who tend to the crop. All Kenyan green coffee beans go through the process of pulping and wetting. The wet process ensures the beans’ smooth and the less acidic feel.
• Kenyan coffee is among the best in the world because of its rich body, high acidity, intense flavour, and delightful aroma.
• Black current is a flavour that is distinct to Kenyan beans, and one of the reasons a cup of coffee from Kenya tastes so unique.

 The clothing and textile industry in Kenya plays an important role in the industrialization of the country. This is because of the industry’s unique characteristics of being labour intensive and its links with other sectors of the economy such as agriculture.

Kenya currently produces an average of 25,000 bales of cotton. It is estimated that approximately 40,000 farmers are involved in cotton farming, while the overall sector provides livelihood to approximately 200,000 households. Cotton in Kenya is mainly grown by about 30,000 to 45,000 smallholder farmers in arid and marginal regions, under rain-fed conditions on small land holdings of about one hectare.
Cotton is drought tolerant and is mostly grown by small-scale farmers in semi-arid regions in the country. It takes about 6 to 8 months to mature. In Kenya, cotton is sown between April – June and harvested from November- February.

•  The cotton, textiles, and apparel (CTA) industry is Kenya’s second largest manufacturing industry after food processing and has been classified as a core industry. Kenya’s CTA manufacturing value chain comprises researchers, ginners, farmers, spinners, input suppliers, textile manufacturers, and extension service providers.
• Kenya is in a strong position to capitalize on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) agreement as the country already captures more than a third of all apparel exports from SubSaharan Africa to the USA. 70% of Kenyan apparel firms have a US dominant market orientation.

Livestock comprises dairy cattle, goats, camels and beef cattle, small ruminants, non-ruminants, poultry and emerging livestock such as quail and rabbits.
Beef is largely produced in arid and semi-arid areas, where about 36 percent of the Kenya population live. Dairy production is concentrated in high potential agro-ecological zones where fodder and pastures are available.

The country has an estimated 43.8 million chicken contributing 5.1 percent of the livestock. The poultry sector is highly heterogeneous and produces more than 35000 tonnes of meat and 1.6 billion eggs annually.

 Dairy farming in Kenya is the largest Agricultural sub-sector compared to other Agricultural farming. It contributes to about 14% of Gross Domestic Products in Agricultural sector and when combined to Kenya National Goods Domestic Product it produces 3.5%.8 May 2021. Milk production in the country includes 4.6 billion litres from cattle, 6.4 million litres from goats and 340 million litres from camels providing an important source of livelihoods to Kenyans.
Approximately 88% of Kenya’s livestock is produced in arid and semiarid areas. Out of those, only 14% are commercially traded in the market whereas the rest are reared for social and cultural reasons. Over 225,000 households (over 1.5 million people) have access to improved livestock markets, out of which 175,000 households (1.2 million people) have seen their incomes improve.

•  Kenya Meat Commission procures all its raw materials for its processes with due consideration of high-quality standards at all times. Strict procedures in livestock procurement/sourcing are adhered to.
• Stringent Veterinary inspections of the animals in the field, ante-mortem inspections at the point of receipt, postmortem inspections during the slaughter process and at dispatch of the products are adhered to. This ensures that quality is taken care of from sourcing through processing to distribution of all the Commissions’ products.
• The Commission has continued to maintain high levels of food safety, product quality and hygiene. The Commission has a fully-fledged in-house laboratory for monitoring compliance of production processes and finished products.
• Slaughtered beef carcasses are chilled for a period of minimum 48 hours during which temperature and humidity are monitored closely. The process is meant to relax the muscles and consequently achieve aged or cured beef which is tender and has a superior taste. This is a key attribute that distinguishes the Commission’s meat from others.