Promoting Kenyan exports: a country- and product-specific analysis

Kenya's exports of goods and services have grown by 28% from $8.9 billion in 2010 to $11.5 billion in 2019. Nevertheless, Kenya's exports as a percentage of GDP have been gradually falling, from 24% in 2011 to 10% in 2020. Amid Covid19 in 2020, goods exports managed to grow by 3.3% to $6 b...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Policy File 2021
Main Authors: Raga, Sherilyn, Mendez-Parra, Maximiliano, Willem te Velde, Dirk
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
Overseas Development Institute
Online Access:Request full text
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Summary:Kenya's exports of goods and services have grown by 28% from $8.9 billion in 2010 to $11.5 billion in 2019. Nevertheless, Kenya's exports as a percentage of GDP have been gradually falling, from 24% in 2011 to 10% in 2020. Amid Covid19 in 2020, goods exports managed to grow by 3.3% to $6 billion, buoyed by continued world demand for Kenyan tea, coffee and fruits and a quick rebound in demand for garments. Major Kenyan products that can be supported for further exporting to meet growing trading partner demand: flowers to the EU, UK or China; clothing to the US; vegetables to the UK or EU; macadamia to the US, EU or China; and tea to the UK or China. Barriers faced by Kenyan exporters are often product-specific and market-specific. These relate to difficulties in meeting certain standards in certain markets, the lack of trade-related infrastructure (including flights), or a lack of capabilities or productivity. To boost exports, Kenya should continue its bilateral, regional and international trade engagements; provide technical and financing support to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in value chains and firms producing the identified promising export products; support the development of market- and product-specific standards; and facilitate investment.