Kenya's fresh vegetable industry has taken a hit over the past year, with exports to Europe dropping by nearly half in 2024, mainly due to the European Union's stricter chemical residue checks.
The latest Economic Survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has revealed that earnings from fresh vegetable exports plummeted from Ksh50.9 billion (€345 million) in 2023 to Ksh23.4 billion (€158.8 million) in 2024.
This marked one of the worst annual declines in recent years.
According to KNBS, the slump can be attributed to increased interceptions over Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in Kenyan vegetables such as beans and peas in pods.
