Kenya seeks to increase exports to the Egyptian market

The Export Promotion Council seeks to extend Kenya's export products to Egypt to include art and entertainment, cut flowers and textiles rather than traditional export products to enhance trade between the two states.

"We need to reduce the heavy reliance on imports by exporting more than we are currently doing to include the arts, cultural heritage and recreation. It will also involve a paradigm shift to encourage the consumption of our products, "said EPC President Jaswinder Bedi, during an update of the country's preparations for the intra-African Trade Fair (IATF). ).

Egypt is one of Kenya's main export markets after the East African Community and the European Union, although trade is favorable to Egypt.

Kenyan imports from Egypt increased 9% to 22.04 billion British Shillings between January and July 2018 compared to the same period in 2017. Central Bank data also show a trade deficit of 9.86 billion shillings over the same period, while exports to Egypt increased by 21.9 percent from 10.0 billion to 12.1 billion shillings during the period under review.

Exports from Kenya to Egypt include spices, tobacco, dairy products, aluminum, sisal and baking soda, while rice, sugar, fish and fish products, paper and paper, iron and steel, textiles, cosmetics and resins products, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, building materials, among others.

This comes at a time when an Egyptian trade mission of 55 companies is traveling to Kenya to look for business opportunities as part of the second Kenya-Egypt Business Forum.

Other Kenyan products with potential in the Egyptian market include frozen and boneless beef, live animals, ghee and butter, nuts and fresh produce.

Kenya will be among the African countries exhibiting at IATF in Cairo, Egypt, from 11 to 17 December.

"Kenya has been at the forefront of promoting intra-African trade authorized by our internal control mechanism. We are now looking at trade shows for businesses and small and micro businesses to expand and expand to other countries, "said Chris Kiptoo, PS of Commerce.