President William Ruto has announced Kenya’s push for better access to the Chinese market for key agricultural exports, aiming to secure preferential trade terms for tea, coffee, macadamia, and processed agricultural products. Speaking during a diaspora Town Hall meeting in Beijing, President Ruto emphasized the need to remove tariffs that currently hinder the competitiveness of these premium Kenyan products in the Chinese market.
“Chinese companies admit that Kenyan tea and coffee are premium, but today, they are subject to tariffs, and that is what impedes their export,” Ruto noted. He revealed that discussions with Chinese officials will explore the possibility of a preferential trade agreement, similar to the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) with the United States, which allows duty-free and quota-free access for eligible African products.
Ruto is in China on a state visit during which Kenya signed multi-billion-shilling agreements with the Asian economic powerhouse. The agreements aim to deepen bilateral trade and investment, particularly in agriculture and infrastructure development.
Kenya has already seen significant growth in agricultural exports to China. Data from Chinese authorities shows that avocado imports from Kenya surged tenfold in 2023, reaching 4,324.1 tonnes compared to 443.6 tonnes in 2022. This growth follows Kenya’s entry into the Chinese avocado market in August 2022 after prolonged negotiations.
China has also emerged as a top importer of Kenyan macadamia, favoring raw, in-shell nuts. Kenya is the third-largest global producer of macadamia nuts, trailing only South Africa and Australia.
Beyond trade, Ruto’s talks with President Xi Jinping are expected to cover a wide range of issues, including China’s continued investment in Kenyan infrastructure, South-South cooperation, and regional peace and security. China has been instrumental in delivering key infrastructure projects in Kenya such as the Standard Gauge Railway, the Nairobi Expressway, Lamu Port, and the Kipevu Oil Terminal.
Ruto’s visit underlines Kenya’s commitment to diversifying its export markets and adding value to agricultural products, ensuring that farmers and agribusinesses benefit more from international trade.
