NAIROBI, Kenya, October 8 – Manufacturers are calling for increased value addition to agricultural products to help Kenya earn more from food exports and compete in international markets.

The call was made during the inaugural FoodPro East Africa 2026 exhibition at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, which is showcasing food processing technologies, machinery, packaging solutions and other production systems.

Principal Secretary for Industry Juma Mukhwana said Kenya needs to move from exporting raw agricultural products to processing more of its produce locally.

“Agriculture contributes about 26 percent of our GDP. The time has come for us to move to the next level of both primary and secondary production by adding value to our agricultural products so that we can compete in global markets,” Mukhwana said.

He said Kenya produces competitive agricultural products but does not receive enough value from them in international markets because of limited processing.

Mukhwana said the machinery and technologies being showcased at FoodPro, including equipment for processing peanut butter, avocado and honey, could help manufacturers increase production and value addition.

“We cannot become a developed country without manufacturing,” he said.

He noted that Kenya has opened access to several regional and international markets through trade agreements, creating opportunities for manufacturers to increase production and exports of processed products.

Former Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) Chairman Rajan Shah said manufacturers must improve their competitiveness as Kenyan products face competition from imported goods and raw materials.

He said high taxes, regulatory challenges, logistics costs and unpredictable policies continue to affect manufacturers.

“Unless we can compete fairly, we cannot make products that can compete on the global stage,” Shah said.

He called for stable policies to give investors confidence to make long-term investments in manufacturing.

KAM Chief Executive Tobias Alando said Kenya and the wider region need to focus on processing, manufacturing, packaging and branding agricultural products before exporting them.

“Africa possesses immense agricultural resources, but the true opportunity lies not only in what we produce, but in what we do with what we produce,” Alando said.

He said increased local processing would create stronger industries, expand supply chains and create more skilled jobs while giving local businesses greater access to regional and international markets.

Alando also said competitiveness depends on skilled workers who can operate modern manufacturing systems and respond to changing market needs.

FoodPro East Africa 2026, organised by KAM under the theme Industrialising East Africa Through Value Addition, brings together manufacturers, technology providers, buyers, investors and other players in the food value chain. The three-day exhibition ends on Thursday, October 8.