Morocco to increase Kenyan tea, coffee imports amid renewed trade deal 

KENYA – Morocco has pledged to increase its imports of Kenyan agricultural products, including tea and coffee, in a move aimed at correcting the long-standing trade imbalance between the two countries. 

The commitment was confirmed following high-level bilateral talks in Rabat, where Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi led the Kenyan delegation.  

The discussions concluded with a mutual agreement to expand Morocco’s import portfolio to include more Kenyan farm produce. 

“We reached a mutual understanding to expand the importation of Kenyan farm produce, an important step toward rebalancing trade, which has long tilted in Morocco’s favour,” Mudavadi said in a statement after meeting Morocco’s Minister for Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour. 

Kenya had raised concerns over the growing trade disparity. Morocco currently exports goods valued at over Kes 12 billion (US$92.9M) to Kenya each year, while Kenya’s exports to Morocco remain under Kes 500 million (US$3.87M). 

During earlier talks with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, Mudavadi emphasized the need to correct the trade gap. “There is an urgent need to redress the current imbalance, which is heavily tilted in favour of our North African partners,” he noted. 

The renewed commitment is expected to open new opportunities for Kenyan tea and coffee producers, offering access to the expanding Moroccan market and supporting the country’s efforts to diversify its export destinations. 

The development comes at a time when Kenya’s tea sector is undergoing reforms aimed at improving farmer incomes and promoting sustainability through value addition. 

Earlier, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe confirmed that the government has included several tax incentives in the 2025/2026 Finance Bill. These include the removal of excise duty on tea packaging materials and the elimination of VAT on value-added tea exports. 

“These measures will make it more affordable for our factories and processors to package and export value-added tea, increase competitiveness in the international markets and ultimately accelerate farmers’ income,” Kagwe stated. 

The CS also announced plans to facilitate direct tea sales, enabling producers to deal directly with international buyers. In addition, the government is establishing common-user packaging and processing facilities to help smallholders access modern packaging, branding, and compliance tools at an affordable rate. 

“These shared facilities will be a major boost for smallholder-led value addition,” he concluded. 

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