Browse Data and Analysis

On May 5, 2022, trade and finance ministers from East African Community (EAC) member countries agreed to raise minimum common external tariffs from 25 to 35 percent on several agricultural products.

Kenya’s MY2022/23 coffee production is forecast to decrease by 10 percent to 700,000 bags due to lower yields caused by reduced fertilizer application. MY 2022/23 area planted is anticipated to remain flat at 105,000 hectares as new plantings are curtailed by a shortage of coffee seeds.

Wheat production in Ethiopia for 2022/23 projected at a record level of 5.7 million MT while corn forecasted to 10.2 million MT. The Government of Ethiopia (GOE) has identified top priorities that can increase production and productivity of cereals through small and large-scale irrigation development, financing agricultural inputs, encouraging cluster farming, and reducing post-harvest loss.

Post forecasts Kenya’s sugar production will decrease 4 percent in marketing year (MY) 2022/23 from 690,000 metric tons (MT) to 660,000 MT due to lower sugarcane yields as high fertilizer prices trigger lower application.

On April 8, 2022, the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) passed a directive allowing franco-valuta imports of essential food commodities without foreign exchange permits.

Kenya MY2022/23 corn production is forecast at 3.2 million metric tons (MMT), largely unchanged from MY2021/22 due to high fertilizer prices and farmers switching to alternative crops such as sugarcane.

Ethiopia’s inflation rate remains persistently high, reaching 33.6 percent in February 2022. The headline inflation in February 2022 is lower than the 34.5 percent recorded in January 2022.

Kenya is a growing middle-income nation that acts as the economic, financial, and transport hub of East Africa. Kenya’s population demographic consists of a median age of 20 years, with 33.8 percent of the population between the ages of 25 and 54 years.

The Ethiopian Sugar Corporation (ESC) and the Ethiopian Industrial Input Development Enterprise (EIIDE) have separately issued international competitive tenders to purchase 200,000 metric tons (MT) of white cane sugar and 10,000 MT of lint cotton, respectively.

Kenya’s imports of consumer-oriented food products grew at an average annual rate of 9.6 percent between 2016 and 2020. This increase was fueled by a growing middle class with rising disposable income, increased urbanization, and expanding modern food retail and food service sectors.

On December 10, 2021, the Government of Kenya announced it would grant exemptions to tariffs on non-genetically-modified (GM) feed ingredients in response to rising feed costs.

This report provides updates on Government of Kenya (GOK) import requirements and regulations for food and agricultural products. It includes applicable laws and guidelines, import procedures, and contact details of key trade regulatory and specialist agencies.