NAIROBI, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's earnings from horticulture exports declined by 3.5 percent in the first half of 2024, driven by reduced shipments to markets in Europe and Asia, according to new economic data released on Tuesday by the national statistics bureau.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) said in a report released in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the East African nation earned 86.8 billion shillings (about 673 million U.S. dollars) during this period, down from 697 million dollars in the same period in 2023.
In the first six months of 2024, Kenya exported 214,676 metric tonnes of cut flowers, fruits and vegetables, a decrease from 291,118 metric tonnes in the same period in 2023, according to the KNBS.
Of the exported produce, cut flowers generated the highest earnings, bringing in 403 million dollars, with Europe being the primary market, the KNBS said.
Kenya earned 144 million dollars from fruit exports, with the remaining revenue coming from vegetables, the agency added.
The decline in earnings for the first half of the year was partly attributed to a stronger Kenyan shilling, which made exports more expensive and reduced demand.
The Kenyan shilling has stabilized at 129 to the dollar since March, having strengthened from over 140 in January.
The Netherlands and Britain remain Kenya's largest horticulture markets in Europe, while China, India and Kazakhstan are the top markets in Asia.
Kenya is actively seeking new markets for its produce, particularly in Africa, where it is working with Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda to implement the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the East Africa Community Horticultural Accelerator initiative.
