Kenya seeks to stop re-exporting of its mangoes

The Agriculture regulator is seeking to stop the re-exporting of mangoes originating from Kenya to Europe through Middle East markets even after the country imposed a self-ban on exports of the fruit to the EU.

Kenya stopped export of mangoes to European nations in 2014 to avoid sanctions that would have been occasioned by high incidence of fruit flies in the produce.

However, the mangoes are still finding their way to Europe through third party countries such as United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries that are importing high quantities of the produce from Kenya.

“At the moment we do not export our mangoes to Europe but they still find their way to that continent, coming as a big challenge to Kenya given that the country is losing out on the originality of its produce,” said Wilfred Yako, assistant director regulation and compliance at Directorate of Horticulture.

Mr Yako said there is need for a multisector approach to curb re-exporting of Kenya’s fruit to other countries, a move that gives credit to exporting nations given that Kenya’s produce is some of the best in the world.

He said they have approached Kenya’s agriculture attaches in the countries that are affected by this vice in order to correct the issue.

The issue has also affected avocado and other horticultural produce such as flowers, which are also re-exported to other destinations.

The ban on mango exports was effected following high levels of fruit flies that saw Kenyan consignments intercepted on several occasions, hence the pre-emptive freeze before a ban.

Kenya’s horticultural produce has been facing challenges in exports because of the phytosanitary requirements that has seen some of the countries, especially in Europe, impose stricter rules to control export of these quarantine pests.

For instance, avocado has been slapped with stringent rules to adhere to before accessing the lucrative Chinese market.