The value of Kenya’s horticulture exports rose sharply in the first quarter of this year as economic activity slowly recovered from the pandemic downturn.
According to data from the Central Bank of Kenya, horticulture exports jumped by 30% to KSh39.4 billion at the end of March 2021, from KSh30.3 billion in the same period in 2020. Kenya exported 179.6 tons of horticulture in the three months through March 2021, 36% more than it exported in the same period last year.
Tea exports earnings, a key source of foreign exchange income for Kenya, reached KSh35.8 billion in Q1 2021, compared to KSh34.1 billion posted in Q1 2020. Tea farmers exported 152.6 tons of tea from January to March this year, compared to 147.8 tons of tea exported in the same period a year ago. The average tea price jumped to KSh234,331 per ton from KSh231,096 per ton a year ago.
Earnings from Coffee exports surged by 56% to KSh8.3 billion in Q1 2021 from KSh5.3 billion in Q1 2020 as the price of coffee went up in the global market. The average price of coffee stood at KSh 659,854 per ton in the first quarter of this year from KSh474,298 per ton in the same period last year. Kenya exported 12.1 tons of coffee from January to March 2021, compared to 10.9 tons of coffee exported from January to March 2020.
According to data from the CBK website, the value of exports to African countries increased to KSh26.4 billion in March 2021, from KSh23.3 billion in March 2020. Uganda is the largest recipient of Kenyan exports. In March this year, exports to Uganda rose to KSh7.89 billion, a 15% increase from KSh6.84 billion exported in March last year.
Also read: Earnings from Horticulture Hit KSh148 Billion in 2020
