Bilateral trade: Kenya inches closer to exporting agri-produce to China

Kenyan agricultural products could soon find their way to China — the world’s most populous country, with a population of around 1.38 billion.

This follows the inking of a deal between the two countries.

The products targeted include fruits, nuts, avocados, mangoes legumes, flowers, vegetables, stevia, meat, leather and leather products.

The Ministry of Agriculture signed the memorandum of understanding on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures with the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China last Friday.

The Kenyan delegation was led by Industry, Trade and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary  Peter Munya, State Department for Trade Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo and his Livestock counterpart Harry Kimutai, and Chief of Staff in the Presidency Nzioka Waita.

Inspection criteria

Dr Kiptoo in a statement said the technical teams from the two countries would soon set up inspection criteria for each product.

“The MoU on SPS policy relates to food safety issues such as bacterial contaminants, pesticides, inspection, labeling and animal and plant health (phytosanitation),” he said.

It is meant to ease trade of agricultural products.

The State Department of Trade said the implementation of the MoU would boost ties between the two countries — unlocking bottlenecks that prevent access of Kenyan products by the Chinese market.

The deal is an outcome of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s recent tour to China.

Mr Kenyatta attended the China International Import Exhibition, where he called on the Chinese Government to give preferential treatment to goods from Africa to spur trade volumes.