Farmers in Kenya who export cowpeas to the UK have won a reprieve after the country halved the sample size of produce required for quality checks, helping to minimise losses from forfeited crop samples.
Industry Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana said on Tuesday that the UK had now cut the quantity required for cowpeas export inspections to five percent, down from 10 percent, following negotiations between the two trade partners.
“For every one kilogramme you have to test 100g which is 10 percent, but we said that was too much. Now we are doing five percent,” the official said.
“The more the sample size the more expensive it is for the person who is selling. We have also requested that this be brought down further so that we reduce the cost to exporters,” the PS added.
Cowpeas, commonly known as kunde locally, is one of the most lucrative fresh produce with a local production of 131,118 tonnes worth Sh9.3 billion in 2022, according to data from the Agriculture and Food Authority.
The UK has been asking fresh produce exporters to submit 10 percent of their export volumes for phytosanitary inspection to ensure that they are free of pests, diseases, and pesticide residues.
Fresh produce destined for the export market is assessed by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service to ensure that it meets the required phytosanitary standards.
Further, for the produce to access the UK market, non-European Union exporters need to acquire a certificate of conformity from the UK Animal and Plant Health Agency.
Trade Principal Secretary Alfred K’Ombudo said that although Kenya had made major strides in enhancing the quality of testing for pests, diseases, and pesticide residues on fresh produce, the UK still demanded tests on large quantities of produce from the country.
Mr K’Ombudo said Kenya had already raised this issue with its UK counterparts through the UK – Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement Council in 2023 and had started the process of revising the inspection quantity threshold.
The PS said that the Kenyan government will push for the UK to also lower the inspection quantity for other horticultural exports besides cowpeas to reduce costs for the exporters.
“That is the specific complaint that we have received in relation to our exports into the UK on other horticultural products. That is one thing we are working on right now,” Mr K’Ombudo said.
