AgriAfrica
Exhibition CEO and the lead organiser of the expo Tito Mutai /JACKTONE LAWIKenya is seeking to diversify its agricultural exports to China in a bid to narrow the widening trade deficit between the two countries.
This is after the two nations pledged to seal new agribusiness deals worth an estimated 15 million Yuan (Sh272.1 million) at the upcoming Africa International Agricultural Expo (AIAE) 2025 in Nairobi.
Agricultural innovation and research secretary Philis Njane said that the country is now looking beyond the traditional exports like coffee and tea and is now also tapping value addition and other exports like nuts and avocadoes.
This, she says will help Kenya not only export more to China but also strengthen its position within the global agricultural value chain.
“First of all, we've had a very big discussion with the Chinese government, as a government, and we are seeing that there is an opening for avocado to go to China. We are also seeing that Chinese have an interest in orthodox tea, which we are now doing in big numbers, many factories are doing, so we are seeing an opportunity there for them to be our market for our tea, and many others.,” said Njane
China remains one of Kenya’s top trading partners, but trade between the two countries remains heavily skewed. In the first half of 2025, Kenya imported goods worth about Sh500 billion from China, while its exports to the Asian giant stood at just Sh4.5 billion.
Njane was speaking ahead of the four-day Expo, scheduled for October 28–31 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), that is set to bring together more than 100 Chinese firms, scientists and state-backed institutions, alongside 50 African enterprises, in what organisers say is one of the most significant China–Africa agricultural investment events to date.
She noted that the Expo offers Kenya a chance to tap into China’s advanced agricultural technology and expand its export base.
“We see this as an opportunity for technology exchange and market access. China is a large market, and there’s growing demand for products such as orthodox tea and avocado, where Kenya has a competitive advantage,” she said.
AgriAfrica Exhibition CEO and the lead organiser of the expo Tito Mutai, said that that collaboration with Chinese scientists and agri-tech companies will help Kenya address challenges brought about by climate change, such as erratic rainfall and declining yields.
The four-day event aims to deepen trade and technology cooperation between Kenyan and Chinese companies in a bid to enhance agricultural productivity, market access and innovation.
Organisers expect more than 150 exhibitors and 10,000 visitors, including over 100 international delegations from China, Africa, Europe, and the United States.
“This event is a platform for matchmaking, investment, and innovation. We expect to see partnerships that address challenges in agricultural technology, productivity and export markets,” said Mutai.
The expo is hosted jointly with Hongxing International Exhibition Company Limited (HXIE) and Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
According to the organisers, pre-expo matchmaking has already resulted in several collaboration agreements between Chinese research institutions and Kenyan government departments.
Up to eight projects including two to three framework collaboration agreements and five to six trade and investment deals are expected to be formalised during the Expo.
The event will feature thematic sessions on agricultural machinery, livestock and veterinary services, edible mushrooms, and agricultural product trade, as well as an Africa Tea Industry Seminar and an Africa Agricultural Modernisation Forum.
