- Mango export has been a lucrative business for Kenya with European Union as a major destination.
- However Kenya was forced to suspend mango exports to EU after it faced  the outbreak of fruit flies in Kenya
Mango export has been a lucrative business for Kenya with European Union as a major destination. However, Kenya was forced to suspend mango exports to EU after it faced  the outbreak of fruit flies in Kenya. Local mango and fruit farmers have been facing the fruit fly since 2003 when the pest was first reported in the country from Sri Lanka.
After suspending Mango exports to EU for the last eight years, Kenya is set to resume its multimillion mango export business to EU from September this year.
To ward off quality issues, Kenya created pest free zones that guaranteed mangoes being exported are free of flies. The pest-free zones have been established in Makueni and Elgeyo Marakwet counties. Makueni , largest producer of mangoes in the country, accounts for 31 per cent of the total production.
This initiative enabled restoring the access to EU market. The product has received the EU approval after Kenyan Mango cleared quality tests for the presence of insecticide. Mr Wilfred Yako, the Directorate of Horticulture assistant director of regulations and compliance said Kenya is now ready to supply to the EU market following the positive initiatives that have been put in place that led to a drastic fall in the level of infestation.
During the past years, after the suspension of Mango exports to EU, Kenya had diverted exporting mangoes to the Middle East. But returns from the Middle East reportedly were far below compared to EU states.
