President William Ruto announced a comprehensive list of target countries as part of Kenya’s effort to widen coffee exports and secure new markets for farmers.
During the launch of the Coffee Revival Programme in Kirinyaga County on Monday, June 22, Ruto said the government is pursuing both domestic consumption and international expansion to increase farmers’ earnings.
He added, ‘By improving the domestic market, we are now concentrating on exports where we can sell in larger volumes.’
According to the president, he has reached out to several nations and trade blocs to eliminate obstacles that have restricted Kenyan coffee and other agricultural products.
He cited his recent state visit to South Africa as a breakthrough after Pretoria announced the removal of excise duties on agricultural goods.
In addition to South Africa, Ruto has engaged the Belgian government, which he described as the country’s largest consumer of Kenyan coffee.
Kenya and the European Union have agreed to work toward eliminating trade barriers under the Economic Partnership Agreement framework by year‑end, potentially opening broader opportunities across the EU market.
He said, ‘Belgium is our biggest consumer. We have agreed with the EU under the partnership programme that the barriers blocking us from selling to the 28‑nation bloc will be removed by the close of this year.’
The president also explained that he used his recent participation in the G7 Summit to advocate for greater access to Asian markets.
At the summit in France, Ruto revealed that talks with the President of South Korea focused on reducing duties on Kenyan coffee, with both sides exploring a free‑trade agreement.
He also mentioned discussions with Indian and Italian officials and is pursuing a potential free‑trade pact to expand Kenya’s coffee reach internationally.
If these agreements materialize, farmers stand to gain better wages, and Kenya can increase revenue to fuel economic growth.
The plan follows China’s decision to grant duty‑free entry of Kenyan agricultural products, marking a new opportunity in the Asian market.
Locally, the president noted that over 1,000 young people have already been trained as coffee ambassadors to promote consumption at home, and he instructed the Kenya Industrial Estates to aid distribution so coffee becomes part of everyday life for Kenyans.