Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe is on a week-long mission in the United States to secure direct market access for Kenyan agricultural products.
On the first day, the delegation met with retail giant Walmart, which operates over 40,000 outlets across the US, to open doors for Kenyan tea, macadamia nuts, and other exports.
MACNUT CEO Jane Maigua showcased Kenya’s macadamia as a premium product, naturally grown (without chemicals), sourced from over 200,000 smallholder farmers, and enjoying a 10 percent duty compared to 30 percent for South African nuts.
She emphasised Kenya’s reliable supply capacity and globally renowned buttery taste profile, making it attractive for American buyers.
Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) leaders Geoffrey Kirundi and Wilson Muthaura also pitched Kenya’s ability to package tea at the source, ensuring freshness, traceability, and higher returns for farmers.
Kenya, the world’s largest exporter of black tea, is pushing to expand exports of value-added varieties, including green, orthodox, and purple tea, the latter being a unique Kenyan innovation celebrated for its health benefits and premium pricing.
The mission will include engagements with the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Agriculture, the Governor of South Carolina, and private sector players. The delegation will also participate in the North America Tea Conference, which recognises sustainable practices in the sector.
In South Carolina, CS Kagwe held talks with Milo’s Tea Company, the leading U.S. iced tea producer. He was accompanied by Phylis Kandie, Advisor to the President on Commodities Market Development; KTDA executives; and representatives from Ketepa and Kipchimchim Tea.
The meeting explored ways to raise Kenya’s share of U.S. tea imports, which currently stands at just 2 percent.
The visit underscores Kenya’s push for direct-to-shelf exports, sustainable supply chains, and stronger farmer earnings.
Kenya’s agricultural trade with the U.S. primarily involves agricultural products like coffee, tea, macadamia nuts, and fruits, with significant portions benefiting from duty-free access under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Last year, in 2024, total U.S. goods trade with Kenya reached USD 1.5 billion, with U.S. exports to Kenya totalling USD 782.5 million and imports from Kenya reaching USD 737.3 million, creating a USD 45.2 million U.S. trade surplus.
Key agricultural imports by the U.S. from Kenya are tea and coffee, while Kenya’s U.S. agricultural imports include soybean oil, peas, and sorghum.
Both nations are working to enhance agricultural trade through U.S. efforts to open new markets for Kenyan products and Kenya’s desire for a potential U.S.-Kenya Free Trade Area to level the playing field for U.S. agricultural products.
By Wangari Ndirangu
