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The report, released on August 6, 2026, shows that the agriculture sector had reinforced its position as the backbone of Kenya's economy, with the value of agricultural output rising from Sh3.64 trillion in 2024 to Sh4.07 trillion in 2025. It attributed the growth to consistent investments by county governments across key agricultural value chains, despite persistent challenges in some subsectors.
Speaking on Monday at the Kenya-China Business Forum in Nairobi, he said Kenya exported goods worth about Sh27 billion to China in 2024 while imports stood at about Sh557 billion, creating a large trade imbalance.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced the development on Monday after a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan, describing it as a major step in strengthening agricultural trade between the two countries.
During the meeting, Kagwe raised concerns about the widening trade gap, pointing out that Kenya bought goods worth about USD 4.5 billion (Sh581.5 billion) from China in 2024, while its exports to the Asian nation were valued at only USD 290 million (Sh37.5 billion). Most of the exported produce consisted of raw agricultural items, mainly tea and avocados.