Mango farmers in Kenya can now export their produce to China following a trade pact between the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) and the Kenya Chinese Chamber of Commerce (KCCC).
“We want to uplift the livelihood of the smallholder mango farmer who faces loses as middlemen cheaply buy their produce and sell at higher prices when there is oversupply,” said KNCCI chairman Kiprono Kittony.
Apart from exporting their produce, local mango farmers will benefit from Chinese expertise on how to boost mango farming.
According to Han Jun, the chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in East Africa, the Chinese chamber will import Chinese agricultural experience to boost mango growing.
Currently, in order to sell produce to the Chinese, a farmer must be a member of a registered group that has legal documents that include PIN certificate, Memorandum of Association, a bank account and a certificate of origin for the consignment exported.
The mangoes to be exported should also be farmed organically, be pest-free and have a 3.12 inch circumference.
The inking of the deal was also witnessed by Lucy Muchoki, the chief executive, Kenya Agribusiness and Agro-industry Alliance.
Ms. Muchoki noted that the signing of the pact would greatly benefit poor farmers who did not know where sell.
“Farmers will be directly linked to the market thus getting a decent livelihood while at the same time curbing wastage,” she said.
