SOUTH CAROLINA, U.S. – Kenyan farmers could soon reap bigger earnings from their produce after Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe launched a week-long trade mission in the United States to secure direct market access for key exports.
The delegation, which includes tea and nut industry leaders, is seeking to bypass middlemen and place Kenyan products directly on American retail shelves.
On the first day of the mission, the team met executives from Walmart, the world’s largest retailer with more than 40,000 outlets across the US, to pitch Kenya’s tea, macadamia and other crops.
MACNUT Kenya CEO Jane Maigua described macadamia as a premium crop cultivated naturally by more than 200,000 smallholder farmers.
She noted Kenya’s competitive advantage, pointing out that the nuts face only a 10 percent duty in the US compared to 30 percent for South African imports.
“Our macadamia is unique for its buttery taste and reliable supply, and that positions Kenya strongly in the US market,” she said.
Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) executives Geoffrey Kirundi and Wilson Muthaura also pushed for expanded tea exports, highlighting the country’s growing portfolio of value-added teas.
They showcased green, orthodox and purple tea—Kenya’s own innovation celebrated globally for its health benefits.
Kagwe, joined by presidential advisor on commodities Phylis Kandie, also held talks in South Carolina with Milo’s Tea Company, America’s leading iced tea producer.
Discussions focused on raising Kenya’s share of US tea imports, which currently stands at just two percent.
The mission includes engagements with the US Departments of Commerce and Agriculture, the Governor of South Carolina, and attendance at the North America Tea Conference, where sustainable practices in the tea industry will take center stage.
The CS said the push is part of government efforts to strengthen farm-to-market supply chains, ensure better prices for farmers, and build Kenya’s reputation as a leading exporter of high-quality, value-added agricultural products.
