Avocado exports to resume

Kenyan farmers may soon resume exporting avocados to South Africa. This comes after the two governments agreed to resolve their trade differences.

At the same time, an agricultural wholesale market may be set up soon in Nairobi, according to a government paper.

Agriculture Minister William Ruto said on Thursday that the issue that led to the ban has been discussed and resolved paving the way for players in the horticultural sector to resume business.

South Africa banned Kenyan avocados from its market in April saying they could spread fruit flies although market players discounted this.

An excuse

Traders called it an excuse because although the flies are a common pest across Africa, there was no infestation in the region as cited by the South African authorities.

Mr Ruto said Kenya continuously reviews its business relations with her partners and at times might be forced to take retaliatory measures if necessary.

“The ban arose due to some misunderstanding but that has since been resolved to enhance trade,” Mr Ruto said, but could not specify when trade would resume.

Speaking at the Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi during a media briefing on the forthcoming second National Agricultural Sector Conference, the minister said the two countries had engaged in constructive and fruitful discussions to end the trade standoff.

There have been unsuccessful efforts in the past to have the ban lifted, with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis), an internationally recognised certifying agency, serving South Africa with documents detailing tests carried out that gave the fruits a clean bill of health.

Kenya is South Africa’s largest trading partner in East Africa with the Economic Survey 2008 showing an exponential growth in imports from the southern economic powerhouse.

Despite the ban, not all of Kenya’s avocado exports to South Africa have been affected. Some traders have resorted to extracting the oil and exporting it.

Proposed project

Mr Ruto disclosed that a Cabinet paper on construction of an agricultural wholesale market in Nairobi has been finalised.

He said a consultant had been hired to undertake a feasibility study on the proposed project to be set up on a 100-acre piece of land in Kasarani.

The four-day conference, whose theme is 'Transforming Agriculture for Productivity, Agribusiness and Markets' will run from November 9th-12th in Nairobi and is expected to discuss ways of revitalising farming.

Mr Ruto said the agricultural sector ministries were working through the Agricultural Sector Coordination Unit to harmonise policies on the way to enhancing efficiency.

Strong case

He said those who may not be able to attend the conference could post in their observations though the website, www.ascu.go.ke.

The minister said the conference would make a strong case for the establishment of an agricultural development fund in order to spur production and create a competitive edge for agricultural goods from Kenya.