The value of Kenya’s vegetable exports dipped by a massive 53.83 percent to Sh23.5 billion in the 2024 crop season, revealing the devastating impact of strict restrictions on imported crops treated with pesticides imposed by the European Union market.
New disclosures show that the export value of vegetables dropped significantly last year, falling from Sh50.9 billion in 2023 amid increased interceptions of consignments exceeding the EU's permitted level of pesticide contamination.
“This sharp reduction is primarily attributed to increased Maximum Residue Level (MRL) interceptions and official notifications issued by the European Union (EU) concerning Kenya’s French beans and snow peas (pods)” the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) noted.
The MRL is the highest level of a pesticide residue that is legally tolerated in or on food or feed when pesticides are applied correctly.
In 2024, the number of MRL-related interceptions of Kenya’s vegetable exports rose to 57, up from 25 in 2023, indicating a heightened level of non-compliance with EU pesticide residue standards.
“In response, the EU tightened border inspection requirements for Kenyan vegetables, increasing the inspection frequency from five percent to 15 percent at designated EU entry points,” the regulator said.
“These enhanced regulatory controls have had a direct impact on market access, shipping timelines, and the cost of compliance, ultimately contributing to the substantial reduction in export earnings from the vegetable subsector,” it added.
The AFA data further shows that the acreage, production and productivity of vegetables in Kenya have all fallen over the past four years.
The area under vegetable cultivation has decreased by around 10 percent, from 218,718 hectares (ha) in 2021 to 196,250 ha in 2024.
Similarly, total vegetable production declined by about 22 percent, from 3,620 tonnes in 2021 to 2,823 tonnes in 2024. Productivity also dropped from 16.6 tonnes per ha in 2021 to 14.4 tonnes per ha in 2024.
Vegetables in Kenya are classified into four major subcategories: exotic, African indigenous, Asian and herbs and spices.
In 2024, exotic vegetables dominated in terms of value, contributing 75.8 percent of the total vegetable production value, followed by herbs and spices at 12.8 percent.
However, the area under exotic vegetable cultivation declined from 177 ha in 2023 to 150 ha in 2024, reflecting an overall reduction in the total area under vegetable production from 230 ha to 211 ha over the same period.
This decline in area under crop coincided with a drop in total production volumes, largely attributed to reduced productivity among key exotic vegetable crops such as French beans, garden peas and runner beans.
“Moreover, stringent export requirements set by the European Union have further constrained production and market access for exporters. As a result, the total value of vegetable production declined from Sh104 billion in 2023 to Sh88 billion in 2024,” AFA said.
