President William Ruto on Wednesday, May 10, announced a trade deal that would see Kenya export at least four agricultural products to Israel.
Speaking during an Israel Investor Roundtable Forum in Tel Aviv, Israel, the President announced that the deal would commence on June 5, 2023.
He explained that Kenya would be exporting the same products to Israel as it did to the European Union.
“Whatever Kenya can export to Europe it should also export to Israel because Israel has standardised their vital sanitary and all other requirements with Europe,” Ruto announced.
Due to the standardisation, Ruto remarked that Kenya would use that window to benefit economically.
“We will start exporting tea, coffee, pineapples, avocados and other products to Israel.
“The good news is that we are beginning that journey on June 5, 2023, when we will have the first landing of pineapples in Kenya to Israel,” Ruto told Israel investors.
While wooing investors to concentrate on Kenyan goods, Ruto touted Kenya’s tea and coffee as the best in the world.
“Kenya supplies the best tea and coffee in the world. In fact, it is Kenya’s tea that is used to blend with other teas to give them a flavour.
“Instead of buying that blended tea, we will be selling you our premium tea for the same price,” he wooed the investors.
The export deal came a day after the President pushed for direct flights between Kenya and Israel.
“Without free movement, tourism is severely restricted,” the President announced why Kenya and Israel should resume direct flights that were discontinued on November 2022.
