This archive report was first published on 9 July 2019.
On July 9, 2019, the Export Promotion Council (EPC) highlighted the potential of culturally inspired art and home decor products to boost Kenya's exports.
According to Peter Biwott, the Chief Executive Officer of the EPC, there is a growing demand for Kenya's authentic art and design offerings.
"If you look at the export strategy, we have identified these items as having a huge impact on the country's GDP since that is what many of our tourists are looking for," Biwott said.
The global market value for handicrafts is projected to grow to USD 857 billion by 2020, with Kenya's share of this market considered small compared to the country's annual average exports of USD 15 million.
Biwott urged Kenyan traders to consider diversifying the export product portfolio, which has the potential to make Kenya a manufacturing hub.
He also emphasized the need to move away from the country's traditional export of agricultural produce, which is often affected by erratic weather patterns.
Kenya's export to the rest of the world has risen to 5.8 billion US dollars, with agriculture produce remaining the country's stronghold, constituting 29 percent of export value worth Sh1.7 trillion.
The value of Kenya's clothing export primarily under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) stands at Sh600 billion.
The leading export destinations are Pakistan, Uganda, and the United States.
