Market News

Export council chief wants team set up to address low earnings

export

Export Promotion Council CEO Peter Biwott. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA

Newly appointed Export Promotion Council (EPC) chief Peter Biwott has called for the formation of a joint public-private team to address issues pulling down export earnings and volumes.

Mr Biwott said this would help build loyalty for Kenyan brands in the international market thereby creating demand for processed products and raising production and incomes.

Mr Biwott said a nationwide brand promotion campaign was under way where local companies, through their lobbies, had identified challenges blocking efforts to export.

“A Kenyan-made shirt costs about Sh6,000 in Europe but would fetch Sh600 here. The same scenario happens for Kenyan coffee and tea which fetch premium prices abroad. I have met individual company bosses in the North Rift where we came up with a list of proposals on what needs to be done to grow exports,” he said.

Mr Biwott said EPC was engaging State regulatory agencies to promote local certification of exports to ensure they conform to international standards thereby helping Kenyan goods compete in foreign markets.

“EPC is targeting countries that export finished goods to Kenya in big volumes creating the trade imbalance witnessed over the years.

‘‘We are looking at China, India and European countries as suitable markets for Kenyan finished products,” he said.

In the last financial year, the tea, horticulture, apparel and coffee contributed 57 per cent of Kenya’s exports worth Sh578 billion compared to Sh1.43 trillion cargo imported mainly comprising capital goods meant for industrial production and infrastructural development.