By Nicholas Waitathu
Farmers and agribusinesses across the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) are incurring significant losses due to non-tariff barriers (NTBs), which continue to curtail intra-regional trade.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mutahi Kagwe, is concerned over the growing number of NTBs, which he says are stifling trade and economic development in the region.
Addressing the COMESA–EU Horticulture Connect event in Nairobi, Kagwe underscored the need to urgently address trade restrictions.
“Our priority is the reduction and eventual elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers. Farmers and agribusinesses cannot thrive when their goods are delayed at borders due to duplicative inspections, lengthy procedures, or unpredictable fees,” he said.
Kagwe is calling for the institutionalization of NTB and Sanitary and Phytosanitary taskforces at both national and regional levels to swiftly address trade restrictions.
The COMESA–EU Horticulture Connect event is part of the ongoing 18th COMESA Business Forum and the 24th COMESA Heads of State and Government Summit taking place in Nairobi from 6-9 October 2025.
Kagwe says Kenya is keen on working with other COMESA member states to harmonize standards, digitize customs procedures, and adopt mutual recognition of Sanitary and Phytosanitary standards.
“Reducing non-tariff barriers is not just a technical agenda, it’s a practical commitment to open markets for our farmers and SMEs,” he said.
Kenya, which is COMESA’s leading horticultural exporter to the Europe, is expanding into Asian and Middle Eastern markets.
In 2024, Kenya’s horticultural exports reached KSh137 billion (US$1.06 billion), with avocados emerging as the fastest-growing export after over 128,000 metric tonnes were shipped, generating more than US$159 million.
Despite these gains, the agricultural sector faces significant challenges such as stricter EU pesticide residue standards, which have led to a 50% drop in vegetable exports, especially beans and peas. Additionally, limited air freight capacity and rising logistics costs hurt Kenya’s flower exports in 2024.
COMESA Secretary General Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe highlighted EU’s support through the Regional Enterprise Competitiveness and Access to Markets Programme (RECAMP) programme, which has empowered over 500 SMEs, 30% of which are women and youth-led, to access global markets.
Kapwepwe says horticultural exports from the COMESA region to the EU has risen to over US$3.3 billion annually, with the Netherlands accounting for 28% of the shipments.
“Under the [RECAMP] programme, trade missions to the Netherlands and Germany facilitated direct B2B engagement, with SMEs securing contracts valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars, gaining first-hand knowledge of certification, logistics, and standards,” the COMESA Secretary General said.