Kenya has seen its exports of kerosene-style jet fuel to Tanzania and Saudi Arabia spike in the last year, a report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has shown.
The latest KNBS report tracking the quarterly balance of payments indicated that the kerosene jet fuel export to Tanzania accounted for the recent spike in exports across African countries.
During the third quarter of 2023, the report showed that Kenya's exports to the African continent stood at Ksh119.7 billion, which accounted for 44.4% of Kenya's overall export earnings.
"Remarkably, there was an increase in earnings from exports to Uganda (27.7%), Tanzania (32.1%), South Sudan (64.4%) and Democratic Republic of Congo (78.6%). Specifically, there was increased domestic exports of cement clinkers to Uganda; lubricants and food preparations to South Sudan; wheat flour, food preparations, and preparations of organic-surface active agents to the Democratic Republic of Congo; and re-exports of kerosene-type jet fuel to Tanzania," read the report in part.
In Asia, Kenya's exports also posted an improvement with jet fuel re-exported to Saudi Arabia.
Overall, exports to Asia increased by 30.3 per cent from Ksh53.9 billion in the third quarter of 2022 to Ksh 70.2 billion in a similar quarter of 2023.
"The value of exports to Asia increased by 30.3 per cent from Ksh 53.9 billion in the third quarter of 2022 to Ksh 70.2 billion in a similar quarter of 2023, largely on account of increase in domestic exports of tea to Pakistan, goat meat to the United Arab Emirates and re-exports of kerosene-type jet fuel to Saudi Arabia," added the statement.
In general, Kenya imported Ksh156 billion worth of processed fuel and Ksh4 billion worth of primary fuel and exported Ksh3.7 billion worth of processed fuel and Ksh54 million worth of primary fuel.
Kenya imports unrefined fuel and re-exports the jet fuel to other countries after it undergoes processing.
The exports come amidst high prices of local petrol and diesel that have pushed the cost of living through the roof.
For now, Super Petrol retails at Ksh207.36, Diesel at Ksh196.47, and Kerosene at Ksh194.23.
China Decreased Exports
Whereas Kenya's exports to Asia increased, the quarter-on-quarter exports to China between the second and third quarters of 2023 nearly halved.
Kenya exported goods worth Ksh7.9 billion to China between April and June this year, compared to Ksh4.9 billion between July and September.
"Albeit, the overall growth in exports to this region, exports to China and Singapore declined by 26.2 per cent and 84.2 per cent, respectively," explained KNBS.
