Kenyan fresh produce nets Sh235m at Italian expo

Workers packing bananas for export. FILE PHOTO | NMG

By KEVIN ROTICH
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Summary

• Thirty-six Kenyan vegetable and fruit companies sold Sh235.22 million worth of produce at this year’s Macfrut Digital Trade Fair in Rimini, Italy.
• The three-day event, which was in collaboration with the International Trade Centre, was postponed in May amid disruptions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thirty-six Kenyan vegetable and fruit companies sold Sh235.22 million worth of produce at this year’s Macfrut Digital Trade Fair in Rimini, Italy.

The three-day event, which was in collaboration with the International Trade Centre, was postponed in May amid disruptions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The virtual exhibition saw exhibitors showcase products as well as attend business-to -business meetings with the world’s leading exporters, importers, technicians, experts and investors in value addition.

“We are happy that even Covid-19 did not stop our Kenyan exporters from interacting with the world on the streets of Rimini and making sales. We will continue following up the exhibitors and update the confirmed orders and delivery for the next 12 months,” said the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency’s chief executive Wilfred Marube.

Mr Marube said the agency will strengthen its technological infrastructure to diversify export promotion initiatives.

“Going forward, we are creating an exporters portal for online engagement, meetings and exhibitions. This one will be a game-changer in promoting our exports since it will ensure that we are not limited by physical distance, space or even funds to contribute to the growth of exports. It will provide limitless and borderless opportunities,” he added.

This comes at a time when statistics shows that horticulture earnings rose to Sh81 billion in the first half of the year from Sh76 billion in the same period last year, amid interruptions caused by the pandemic in the second quarter.

This was boosted by higher demand for fruits and vegetables in Europe, which is Kenya’s major market for fresh produce, after reopening of the economy following months of lockdown.