Kenya horticultural produce penetrates U.S. market

Special Correspondent for The East African Catherine Riungu reports that after several years of preparation, Kenya has succeeded in getting three of its key horticultural products-baby corn, baby carrots and shelled peas-approved for sale in the U.S.

Presently, only two per cent of Kenya's horticultural products go to the US. The sector has so far been heavily reliant on European Union markets which are getting harder to service because of lower-priced global competition . The EU markets will remain important for Kenyan produce but the need was seen to reduce dependency on them and to access the huge American market.

The development is the result of three years of lobbying and preparation by the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK.) "The US market is almost as big as Europe with a population of 300 million customers and has the potential to revolutionize the horticultural industry in Kenya," said Tiku Shah, chairman of FPEAK. "They were particularly concerned about plant pests and diseases. That is why it has taken so long to carry out a pest risk analysis on the products earmarked for export to the US," he said.

The announcement of this marketing breakthrough was made in early February at the end of a week-long tour of the country's farms and processing facilities by officials of two US agricultural regulatory authorities, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the US Department of Agriculture. An APHIS official praised Kenya's production and processing facilities as among the best in the world, due to the country's successful adjustment to EU standards which have become continually more stringent over the past decade.

Only processed products will be allowed into the US market. It is expected that another 10 products will be cleared for the US market by the end of 2007. New markets are also being sought in Asia.