MURANG’A, Kenya — The government will intensify value addition and local consumption of agro-products as part of a broader industrialisation push aimed at reducing imports and boosting exports, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui has said.
Speaking during a tour of Kakuzi Plc orchards in Murang’a County, Kinyanjui said the strategy targets high-value crops and “superfoods” such as macadamia, avocado, and livestock products, positioning Kenya as a competitive global supplier.
He noted that Kenya has untapped potential in edible oil production, particularly from macadamia and other oil crops, which could significantly cut the country’s import bill while advancing the government’s Buy Kenya, Build Kenya agenda.
“Demand for food will always be there, even in difficult times such as war. I commend Kakuzi for the great work. As they expand, they also create employment opportunities,” Kinyanjui said.
Kenya currently spends over Sh500 billion annually importing agricultural products, including edible oils that can be produced locally.
The CS said shifting to domestic production and value addition is central to transforming the economy into a net exporter of agricultural and manufactured goods.
Kakuzi, the country’s largest avocado producer and a leading macadamia grower, is scaling up its operations.
The firm plans to double its export capacity to more than $100 million annually in the medium term and is investing over $15 million this year to expand its blueberry venture from 10 hectares to 100 hectares.
Kinyanjui praised the company’s value addition efforts, including its daily production of 1,000 litres of cold-pressed macadamia oil, describing such initiatives as critical to agro-industrialisation.
The CS said the government, under President William Ruto, is leveraging policy tools such as Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Export Processing Zones (EPZs), and County Aggregation and Industrial Parks to support investors and scale manufacturing capacity.
“As we open up international markets through economic partnership agreements, we must also ensure we have enough produce to meet demand,” he said.
Kakuzi Managing Director Chris Flowers said the firm is pursuing a diversification strategy focused on high-quality, value-added products for both domestic and export markets.
He added that Kenya’s geographic position offers a strategic advantage in supplying superfoods to markets in the Far East, Middle East, Europe, and the United States.
“The Kakuzi business growth and diversification plan is firmly anchored in promoting locally produced, export-grade, value-added products,” Flowers said.
As part of its industrialisation drive aligned with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, Kakuzi has integrated a macadamia processing plant with a cold-press oil extraction unit.
The facility has an installed capacity of 2,000 tonnes of saleable kernel, making it among the largest in Kenya.
