In Kenya's Naivasha region, a leading exporter of fresh produce, Vertical Agro Group, has been leveraging the country's improved logistics infrastructure to access new markets. The company's packhouse, located within an export processing zone linked to the Naivasha Inland Container Depot, a Chinese-built dry port, enables efficient transportation of goods to the port of Mombasa for onward shipment abroad. This strategic location has been instrumental in facilitating the export of Kenyan avocados to various markets, including China.
The Naivasha Inland Container Depot, a key component of the Mombasa-Nairobi-Naivasha Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), has significantly reduced transit times, freight costs, and emissions associated with transporting fresh produce. According to Hasit Shah, CEO of Vertical Agro Group, the modern railway corridor has been a game changer for players in the fruit and vegetable value chains. The SGR has enabled the company to deliver produce to the port of Mombasa efficiently, expanding its market reach.
China's zero-tariff policy, which came into force on May 1, has further enhanced market access for Kenyan avocado exporters. The policy, covering 53 African countries, is expected to encourage local firms to add value to the highly nutritious fruit. Kenya is the third-largest avocado supplier to China, after Peru and Chile. In 2025, the country earned $175 million from total avocado exports, with exports to China valued at $6.6 million.
The Kenyan government has been actively promoting the growth of the horticulture sector, with a focus on increasing exports to China. Paul Kipronoh Ronoh, principal secretary in the State Department for Agriculture, noted that other products with great potential for exports to China under the zero-tariff policy include flowers and macadamia nuts. The government is working to support local exporters in leveraging the new market opportunities.
The Chinese ambassador to Kenya, Guo Haiyan, has highlighted the significance of the Mombasa-Nairobi-Naivasha SGR, a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative, in unlocking growth in the rural hinterland through enhanced connectivity. The ambassador also noted that China's zero-tariff policy has expanded the market in China for Kenyan avocados, Ugandan coffee, Rwandan chilli, and Congolese poria.
Official statistics indicate that China imported 3,762,776 kilograms of avocados from Kenya, worth $6.1 million, in May-August 2026, representing a 63.22% year-on-year increase in value. The growth in avocado exports to China is expected to continue, driven by the improved logistics infrastructure and tariff-free market access.
The development of Chinese-built transport and logistics infrastructure, including the SGR and the Naivasha dry port, has encouraged investors to set up agro-processing factories to add value to fresh produce destined for overseas markets. Philip Mainga, managing director of Kenya Railways Corporation, noted that the SGR and inland container depot have boosted export competitiveness, growth, and regional integration.
Key points
- China's zero-tariff policy has expanded market access for Kenyan avocado exporters.
- The Mombasa-Nairobi-Naivasha SGR has reduced transit times and freight costs associated with transporting fresh produce.
- Kenyan avocado exports to China have grown significantly, with a 63.22% year-on-year increase in value in May-August 2026.
