Government pushes for China to drop tariffs on its coffee, tea and avocados as historic trade shift looms

The government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, is pushing for the accelerated clearance of Kenyan agricultural and livestock products into the Chinese market.

According to Sen. Mutahi Kagwe, the ministry’s Cabinet Secretary, who met senior officials from the General Administration of China Customs (GACC), the move is to unlock the country’s long-pending export pathways for key commodities, including coffee, tea, avocados, mangoes, dried chillies, green grams, dried fruits and various livestock products.

The high-level delegation was led by GACC Vice Minister Wang Jun, accompanied by Sun Renhong (Director General, Department of Duty Collection), Zheng Wei (Director, Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine), Sun Junchao (Deputy Director, General Office), and Jiang Huixin (Deputy Director, Department of International Cooperation), together with Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Ms. Guo Haiyan, Minister Counsellor Mr. Zhou Zhencheng and Second Secretary Mr. Zeng Hui.

During the engagement, the CS emphasized that China currently imposes high tariffs on Kenyan produce, 8% on non-roasted coffee, 20% on roasted coffee, 15% on tea and up to 20% on avocados and urged GACC to fast-track the move toward zero duty on these flagship commodities to help rebalance trade between the two countries.

He stated that Kenya-China trade remains heavily skewed, with Kenya importing far more than it exports. In 2024 alone, Kenya imported approximately USD 4.5B worth of goods from China, while exporting only USD 290M in return, mostly raw agri-commodities like tea and avocado.

He noted that the deficit is unsustainable and must now be addressed through urgent, deliberate measures, starting with tariff elimination and rapid SPS clearance for Kenyan exports.

The CS explained that Kenya and China are in the process of finalizing a bilateral trade framework that would eliminate tariffs on major Kenyan agricultural exports, but that final signatures and operationalization have been delayed, causing concern among local farmers and exporters.

Kagwe stressed that the agreement reached between H.E President William Samoei Ruto and H.E President Xi Jinping in Beijing must now move from promise to action, especially in the interest of Kenya’s rural producers.

He highlighted that Kenya has substantially completed required technical submissions, with Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service – Kephis confirming readiness of protocols for fresh mango, dried chillies, green grams, dried fruits (mango, banana, pineapple) and plant-derived medicinal materials which are pending approval at GACC.

The CS told the GACC delegation that Kenya is fully prepared for expanded agricultural trade and only awaits China’s final approvals to commence large-scale shipments.

He added that beyond tariffs, Kenya seeks deeper cooperation in agricultural research, value chain upgrading, laboratory strengthening and specialist training, including the exchange of scientists and technical staff.

Kagwe emphasized that clearing livestock export applications, some pending for over two years would be a historic breakthrough for Kenyan farmers and processors, noting that entry of Kenyan meat into China would be a milestone for both nations.

The CS concluded that Kenya is ready, aligned and committed, and that it is time for policy commitments to translate into real volumes, container movement and expanded access for Kenyan farmers in the Chinese market.