Horticulture and Tea rake in Ksh 277 Billion
Nairobi Nov 25
By Olem E.O-
Tea and horticulture raked in a total of Ksh 277.4 Billion shillings accounting for 45 percent of all exports last year.
The tea sector accounted for Ksh123.7 million while horticulture accounted for Ksh153.7 million, out of which Ksh. 113 billion was cut flowers.
Addressing the annual ball games held at the Finlay’s stadium in Kericho, Trade Principal Secretary Dr Chris Kiptoo disclosed that the Government was implementing various strategies and policy initiatives among them, The Integrated National Export Development and Promotion Strategy and The AGOA Strategy, all aimed at increasing market access and diversifying exports from Kenya.
He singled out specific Government interventions towards Development and Promotion of Tea and Horticultural Exports in the Country as contained in the Integrated National Exports Development and Promotion Strategy. These include to:
- Provide a Business Enabling Environment in support of competitive branded Kenya tea exports and horticultural exports;
- Promote competitiveness of Kenya tea and horticultural exports in the domestic as well as international markets;
- Strengthen and provide linkage of the horticultural value and supply chains in support of horticultural export development;
- Strengthen and capacity build producers and exporters of value added tea;
- Strengthen trade facilitation of horticultural produce;
- Support production of value added tea for export; and
- Promote specialty and value added tea exports
“We are optimistic that the Tea players will leverage on these initiatives and take their produce to farthest ends of the world, said Dr. Kiptoo.
He commended James Finlay Kenya (JKF) Company for the pivotal role it plays towards growth of economy especially the trade sub-sector through tea processing and exportation of flowers.
James Finlay Kenya is one of the largest producers of tea in the world that has played a major role in bridging the gap of Kenya’s trade balance. It processes 28 million kilograms of made tea annually and exports 130 million stems of flowers.
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