Reforms to see agricultural produce fetch premium prices, CS Felix Koskei says

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei. [PHOTO: STANDARD]

NAIROBI, KENYA: Government will in the 2014/15 financial year implement more initiatives to promote agribusiness with the view to maximising earnings to value chain players. Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei Monday said Government will ensure local agricultural produce fetch premium prices in local and international markets.

“This is one of the State’s bigger strategy to transform the agriculture sector,” said Koskei.

He said the focus is on transforming Kenya’s agriculture to make it more commercial, technologically driven and internationally competitive.

“For this transformation to be realised, agribusiness will play a central role and the Government will continue working closely with the private sector.

This will create an enabling environment for the development of agribusiness with a strong focus on value addition and undertaking agriculture as a viable economic activity,” he said.

Koskei said there are challenges frustrating small scale producers’ efforts to access markets. The new focus will scale up value addition and deploy modern marketing methods. There are plans to build fresh produce markets fitted with cooling systems in various regions to prevent post-harvest losses, said to be around Sh50 billion annually. He made the remarks Monday during the opening of the Agrictec–Africa International Exhibition and Conference at the KICC.

Koskei explained that focus would be on transforming marketing functions through value chain development.

The State is also establishing special economic zones in partnership with private investors, to support increased manufacturing and exports of value added agricultural products.

Radeecal Communications Chief Executive Sanyal Desa, the organisers of the even, confirmed that 70 companies from India, USA and Israel are already participating in the exhibition.