The Agriculture and Food Authority of Kenya has compiled a list of 658 registered agriculture exporters who work with farmers helping them earn 20-30 per cent more than those who farm for local markets.
Per data from the World Bank, up to 98 per cent of farmers who export their produce access international markets through exporting companies making these international traders amongst the most important cogs in Kenya’s agriculture machine. Large commercial farms typically dominate direct exports, especially in the tea, coffee, and horticulture sectors. Despite being replete with challenges, many Kenyan farmers are always looking for agriculture export opportunities because they get paid a premium and have access to a stable market that consistently buys an agreed amount of their produce.
According to the Agriculture and Food Authority’s Horticultural Crops Directorate, there are 658 vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices, flowers, legumes, and tuber exporting companies in Kenya that are registered with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS).
To get the full list of companies, their contacts, names, what they export, license numbers dates of issue telephone numbers, and kra pins click here
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While most of the numbers are usable, the list was compiled a couple of years ago, so some of them are out of service or their owners are no longer in the export business. FarmbizAfrica reached AFA through a phone call for an up-to-date list, but the government parastatal has yet to provide one.
Working with export companies registered by KEPHIS reduces your risk of being defrauded and guarantees payment according to the contracted terms. These companies also guide their farmers in complying with strict Global GAP Standards ensuring their produce meets the necessary standards for export by giving them farming guides and having extension workers visit their farms.
Registered and reputable exporters also reduce the risk of farmers harvesting their produce and finding that markets are oversupplied as is often the case for local farmers who grow for the local market.
To become registered as a horticultural exporter you will need to write to the KEPHIS managing director by filling out the following form: Procedure for registration as an exporter
The 658 companies deal in the following;
Fruits: avocado, purple passion fruit, pineapple, banana, mango, giant granadilla passion fruit, avocado oil, berries, plantains, sweet orange, strawberries, yellow passion fruit, dried mango, pomegranate, tree tomato, pitaya/ dragon fruit.
Vegetables: cucumber, lettuce, aubergines, capsicum, broccoli, snap peas, snow/ mangetout, okra, spinach/ palak, dudhi/ bottle gourd, parsley, tarragon, oregano, lemon grass, rosemary, coriander, baby leeks, tomato, cabbage, onions, carrots, baby corn, cauliflower, butternuts, aubergines, statice flowers/ sea lavenders, karela/ bitter melon.
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Herbs/ spices: oregano, chives, thyme, mint,chillies, chives, basil, “moringa oleifera, coriander/dhania, rosemary, methi/ fenugreek, chillies, dried chillies, ginger, pepper mint, courgettes/zucchine, dill, stevia.
Flowers/ Ornamentals: asters, hypericum, alstroemeria, roses, rose cuttings, mixed flowers, arabicum, ornithogalum saundersiae, gypsophila/ baby’s-breath, lilies/longiflora, assorted/bouquet flowers, scabiosa/ pincushion flower, asclepias/milkweeds, eryngium, ammi, solidago, calla lily, pelargonium cuttings, agapanthus, craspedia, chrysanthemums, anigozanthos, ruscus/ butcher’s broom, begonia, solidaster, crocosmia, bells of ireland/ molucella laevis, tuberose, hydrangea, chasmanthium latifolium, boat orchid/ cymbidium, geranium.
Tubers: sweet potatoes.
Legumes: fine beans, processed beans, runner beans.