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: 07 February 2022; Hits: 2076

How to register for export of banana and broccoli to Korea

By George Munene

According to The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), despite reaching a bilateral agreement that eases access to the South Korean market for the Kenya’s green bananas and broccoli, farmers have only exported less than a combined one tonne of the agriproduce to the East Asian nation.

This owes to a lack of awareness amongst Kenyan farmers and exporters on the procedure to ship these agricultural commodities.

“Exporters looking to tap into this underserved export corridor will first need to be registered with the Horticulture Crops Directorate as an exporter for horticultural products, said Diana Aluoch, a Research Assistant at KEPHIS.”

HCD issues an export license which is presented to KEPHIS. The prospective exporter will then need to present company registration documents, i.e., company director names and a copy of their identity cards, certificate of incorporation, KRA pin and a cover letter with details on who they are and details of the farm’s location and acreage.

A signed outgrower contract is also required for consolidators to ascertain that they can meet promised export quantities. “Farmers should also know that KEPHIS does not issue out phytosanitary certificates to individual farmers but rather exporters and consolidators,” outlined Diana.

A one-off commitment fee of Sh15,000 is charged as a deposit for certification cost with a certificate issued for every export tranche and depending on quantity.

“For export of any other agricultural commodities outside of unripe bananas and broccoli stems, local exporters will need to consult with South Korean ministry of agriculture officials on the export requirements and procedures, as well carrying out thorough checks on the required import permit passes, Aluoch explained.”

For more information download REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPORT OF UNRIPE BANANAS AND BROCCOLI TO KOREA or reach KEPHIS on Mobile: 0709 891 000

Phone: 020 661 8000

Email 1: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Email 2: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Farmbiz will be hosting an online training course guided Kentrade on training in the exporting process and exactly what registrations you need: how to find out what’s required and how to get help with each requirement on Thursday 17th February, 10-12pm. You can register here: Exporting for farmers training

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: 09 October 2021; Hits: 1585

Kenya looks to Djibouti for miraa market as Somalia's ban bites

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By George Munene

Talks are ongoing between the Kenyan and Djibouti governments on the export of miraa/khat to the East African country. Kenya is also in talks with The Democratic Republic of Congo and plans to engage other African nations in an effort to find an alternative to the lucrative Somali market where the stimulant remain embargord.

"In the next two weeks, the trade minister of Djibouti will be in Kenya. We hope to have him visit miraa farms in Mau to show him where and how how the miraa we hope they'll be exporting is farmed," said Lawrence Karanja, Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), Ministry of Industrialization, Trade & Enterprise Development.

Speaking in Meru County, the CAS added that there exists plenty of opportunity in agricultural trade with landlocked Djibouti which imports most of it's agroproduce especially fruits such as avocados and bananas.

The miraa agricultural sub-sector is the main source of livelihood for up to 50,000 households. A diplomatic impasse which has lasted over 1½ years between Kenya and Somalia--the crop's main export market--has however ground it's trade which netted about Sh16 million daily.

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: 17 September 2021; Hits: 2343

Government tea reforms lead to record 40% price rise

2018 06 09 Kenya Tea CT 33

By George Munene

According to Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya the average prices of smallholder teas have jumped 40 percent at auction owing to the minimum reserve price put in place by the government in July this year.

The recorded increase is from an average of Sh209.38 to Sh293.13 per kilogram from the sales of July and part of September 2021. This translated to increased revenue of 172 million shillings within a one-month period.

The government through KTDA at the beginning of July set the minimum reserve price for processed tea at the Mombasa auction at Sh268. This unprecedented move was aimed at cushioning smallholder farmers.

While introducing the reserve price, the KTDA board and the Agriculture CS noted that tea prices had declined below production cost making it difficult for smallholder producers to make a profit from their tea.

“The payments made to smallholder tea growers through Kenya Tea Development (KTDA) factories declined from Sh58.76 per kilogram in 2016-2017 to Sh36.64 a kilogram in 2019-2020. Reforms within the tea sector are vital in arresting this worrying trend,” Munya pointed out.

The CS further added that KTDA through the Agriculture ministry has requested a fertiliser subsidy worth Sh1 billion which will reduce fertiliser cost from Sh3,073 to Sh2,473 per kilogram bag.

The tea sub-sector earns the country over Sh120 billion annually and is the primary source of livelihood for over 650,000 farmers supporting over 6.5 million people.

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