Kenya has stepped up its push for fairer market access and a more balanced trading relationship with India, with the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe calling for urgent action to address tariff and market-access barriers affecting Kenyan agricultural exports.

During bilateral consultations with the Indian High Commissioner, the CS placed Kenya’s agricultural trade interests firmly at the centre of discussions, highlighting the need to unlock greater access for key Kenyan products including tea, coffee, avocados, seeds, moringa, and raspberries.

The discussions came against the backdrop of a significant trade imbalance between the two countries. According to data published by the High Commission of India, Indian exports to Kenya stood at about US$4.01 billion in 2025/26, while Kenyan exports to India were approximately US$290 million. Tea, coffee and vegetables are among Kenya’s principal exports to the Indian market.

To this regard, Kagwe challenged the existing barriers affecting Kenyan agricultural products, noting that Kenya provides a substantial market for Indian machinery, equipment, pharmaceuticals, and other manufactured goods.

He additionally called for greater reciprocity in market access so that Kenyan farmers and exporters can benefit from the opportunities presented by the bilateral relationship.

The CS further pointed to emerging opportunities in other international markets, including China, where Kenyan agricultural products are gaining improved market access, arguing that Kenya should equally be able to secure more favourable terms in the Indian market.

Beyond market access, Kagwe called for a shift from a conventional buyer-seller relationship towards deeper agricultural investment and technology partnerships.

“I encouraged Indian companies to explore local manufacturing, agricultural machinery production, drone technology, digital agriculture, and soil health solutions in Kenya in order to create opportunities for technology transfer, skills development, value addition and jobs.

Notably, the meeting also placed renewed focus on the implementation of bilateral mechanisms designed to translate diplomatic commitments into tangible economic outcomes.

In this respect, the CS called for stronger follow-through through the relevant joint working structures and greater accountability on agreed areas of cooperation.

In the meantime, the discussions build on the existing India-Kenya agricultural cooperation framework, including the Joint Working Group on Agriculture, whose inaugural meeting was held in February 2026. India has also previously granted market access to Kenyan avocados, with the first consignment ceremonially dispatched to India in September 2023.

Bottom line, Kenya’s message was clear: bilateral relations must increasingly deliver expanded markets for Kenyan farmers, stronger value chains, technology transfer, and investment that supports production and manufacturing locally.

The consultations therefore marked another step in Kenya’s effort to turn diplomatic and commercial ties with India into a more balanced, agriculture-driven partnership that delivers measurable opportunities for producers, exporters, and the wider economy.

Present at the meeting was the India’s Deputy High Commissioner Mr. Sushil Parasad, Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.

by Michael Omondi