The Agriculture and Food Authority's Horticultural Crops Directorate has issued a warning about the increasing poaching and side-selling of beans and peas in Kenya. This trend could compromise traceability, food safety, and the country's credibility in international markets. The directorate has addressed a circular to industry bodies, including the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya and the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya.
According to the directorate, investigations into contracted snow pea and sugar snap farms in Kinangop, Nyandarua County, and Timau, Meru County, have revealed a sharp increase in produce poaching and side-selling. The probe identified structural issues that fuel a black market for the crops, including predatory brokerage, delayed payments, weight variances, lack of transparency in produce accountability, and weak enforcement of contracts.
The practices breach Regulations 22 and 23 of the Crops (Horticultural Crops) Regulations, 2020, which require strict traceability and contract farming compliance. The directorate noted that continued side-marketing could lead to non-compliance with the National Horticulture Code of Practice and European market entry requirements that demand field-to-fork accountability.
The directorate has called on the two export associations to mobilize self-regulation mechanisms, clean up memberships, eliminate rogue brokers, and enforce contractual obligations between aggregators and farmers. This move aims to protect legitimate exporters from unfair competition and ensure the country's export market remains intact.
The warning follows a consultative meeting held on 27 August 2026 with exporters from the affected regions, which highlighted the need for urgent action to address the issue. The directorate also signaled plans to strengthen joint industry surveillance partnerships to enforce transparency frameworks and protect legitimate exporters.
Christine Chesaro, Director of the Horticultural Crops Directorate, emphasized the need for industry stakeholders to work together to address the issue. The directorate's efforts aim to ensure that Kenya's beans and peas export chain remains competitive and compliant with international market requirements.
The country's beans and peas export market is a multi-billion shilling industry, and any disruption could have significant economic implications. The Agriculture and Food Authority's warning serves as a call to action for industry stakeholders to take proactive measures to prevent further damage to the sector.
Key points
- The Agriculture and Food Authority has warned of rising bean and pea poaching in Kenya, threatening the country's export market and reputation in overseas markets.
- The directorate has identified structural issues, including predatory brokerage and weak enforcement of contracts, as key drivers of side-selling.
- The authority has called on export associations to mobilize self-regulation mechanisms and eliminate rogue brokers to protect legitimate exporters.
