A delegation of livestock investors from Oman is set to visit Taita-Taveta county to finalize business deals with local farmers. The visit comes as a welcome move by the Gulf countries to start buying animals in the region and the country at large.
According to the County Executive for Livestock, Davis Mwangoma, the foreign delegation is coming to meet local farmers and agree on how to conduct the lucrative livestock business. The county alone has 30 ranches and is expected to export over 15,000 animals to Oman.
Local livestock farmers are optimistic that the Gulf states will offer attractive prices compared to those offered by the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC). Apart from Oman, other Gulf countries interested in signing business deals with the county ranchers include Kuwait, Dubai, and the United Arab Emirates.
The county government will be hosting the investors from Oman on March 7. The visit is expected to boost the county's livestock export business, with the government eyeing the development and expansion of the dairy, goat, and sheep value chain sector.
Livestock and Fisheries Chief Administrative Secretary Lawrence Omuhaka noted that the country was unable to meet its meat demands for local consumption and export. He emphasized the strategic location of Taita-Taveta, which has vast ranches situated along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa highway and proximity to the Mombasa and Lamu ports and KMC.
