The drought that was experienced in Kenya early this year could affect overall vegetable exports in 2017, the industry said on Wednesday.
"Unless the country experiences sufficient rains in October, vegetables exports could decline by five percent," Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK) Chairman, Apollo Owuor, told a business forum in Nairobi.
In 2016, Kenya exported 56,695 tonnes of vegetables, Owour said during a horticultural industry meeting. Owour said that Kenya's vegetable output could recover because most vegetables have a maturity period of only three months.
Owuor said that the European Union absorbs approximately 80 percent of Kenya's vegetable exports, while the Middle East accounts for the rest.
He said most of sales are in the Britain and hence the industry is vulnerable to fluctuations of the British Pound.
source: news.xinhuanet.com
