KENYA – A Kenya-China trade cooperation deal delegation has revealed that China has the potential to purchase coffee worth US$100 million annually from Kenyan farmers.
Led by Madam Betty Xu, the President of the Kenya-China Cooperation Committee, the delation emphasized the potential for a booming trade relationship between the two nations.
While acknowledging China’s traditional preference for green tea, Xu who was visiting farmers in Murang’a county highlighted the growing demand for coffee and black tea among the younger generation in China.
To unlock this yet-to-be-exploited opportunity, the trade cooperation seeks to directly connect Murang’a and Kenyan farmers with Chinese buyers, facilitating seamless trade transactions.
Xu emphasized the role of the cooperation committee in marketing Kenyan coffee and tea across various provinces in China, addressing the trade deficit, and increasing exports from Kenya.
The program, named “Light Up Kenya Villages,” is not only focused on trade but also encompasses a public benefit initiative. It aims to provide Kenyans with increased access to industrial equipment and new energy technology, particularly through the utilization of solar power.
Ms. Muthoni Gichohi, a Member of the Murang’a County budget and economic forum and former Kenyan ambassador to China sees the new market opening as a catalyst for job creation in the county.
She expressed confidence that increased access to the Chinese market would boost earnings for farmers, improving their livelihoods.
Gichohi emphasized the importance of maintaining quality standards to meet international market requirements, particularly through cooperatives.
Irungu Kang’ata, Governor Murang’a County, affirmed the county’s commitment to creating market linkages for local farmers, allocating 500.3 acres for the construction of an Export Processing Zone in the Makenji area.
With a yearly coffee production of approximately 31,000 million kilos through the cooperative society model, Murang’a County looks poised to harness the potential of the China market, providing a significant boost to the local agricultural sector.
The Governor assured investors of a conducive business environment, leveraging technology and cooperative structures to support the farmers and facilitate the success of this promising trade cooperation.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) is calling on farmers to venture into orthodox tea farming as the specialty teas record a surge in demand in the international market.
The agency is also investing in the construction of specialty tea processing lines in factories around tea-growing areas to facilitate value addition for higher prices of the products in the global market.