Kenyan farmers will now export hass avocados to China following a
trade deal signed when President Uhuru Kenyatta met his Chinese
counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday.
It
is estimated that when the agreement is fully implemented, the Chinese
market will take in more than 40 percent of Kenya’s avocado produce,
making it one of the largest importers of the fruit. Other famous
destinations of Kenyan avocado include Europe and the US.
The
signing of the protocol on sanitary requirements for the export of
frozen avocado was the last major hurdle for the Kenyan crop to be
accepted.
Kenya already exports
stevia to China and avocado becomes the second farm produce. The country
wants to also export 13 other priority farm produce to China in future,
including flowers, mangoes, French beans, peanut, vegetables, meat,
herbs, bixa and macadamia.
The
meeting between Presidents Kenyatta and Xi Jinping and their delegations
focused on promoting economic and trade exchange in 8 key initiatives
identified during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting
held in Beijing last year. These initiatives include industrial
promotion, trade facilitation, infrastructure connectivity, green
development and people-to-people exchange. Others are capacity building,
healthcare, and peace and security.
In
addition to the avocado deal, President Kenyatta witnessed the signing
of an agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation covering all
sectors of mutual interest and an MOU on joint promotion of the
implementation of the 8 priority areas.
President
Kenyatta is in Beijing for a three-day working tour where he will also
attend the Second Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International
Cooperation that will be officially opened by President Xi Jinping on
Friday.
The BRF conference at the
China National Convention Centre (CNCC) is being attended by world
leaders from 37 countries, 5,000 delegates drawn from 150 nations, and
representatives of 90 international organisations.
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