Kenya: EU mango exports resume September

Kenya will officially resume the multibillion mango export business to the lucrative European market in September after an eight-year self-imposed ban resulting from an outbreak of the fruit flies. Europe has approved the resumption of exports of Kenya’s produce after the tests indicated low levels of insect incidence. Kenya has instead been exporting mangoes to the Middle East but returns have been lower compared to what farmers would earn from EU states. The move to resume exports to EU has been enabled by the creation of pest free areas that will guarantee mangoes being exported are free of flies. “We have done a dry run and samples were submitted to EU and this was approved, putting us on the roadmap to begin mass export in September,” said Geoffrey Kiganiri, an official with USAID Kenya Crops and Market System. says the country is ready to resume export because of the suppression of fruit flies. Mr Wilfred Yako, the Directorate of Horticulture assistant director of ...