Kenya eyes China’s vast market as zero-tariff deal exposes export opportunities
StarTimes Head of PR and Content Syndication Michael Mwai Mugo (left) and Assistant Marketing Manager Joyce Qiuyue Xiahou address journalists during a press briefing in Nairobi on Friday, November 13, 2026, where they discussed opportunities for Kenyan businesses to access the Chinese market through the third season of A Glimpse of China in the New Era.
Kenyan businesses are being challenged to rethink their relationship with China, shifting from a market largely associated with imports to one that could offer new opportunities for locally produced goods.
The challenge comes as Kenya seeks to narrow a widening trade imbalance with the Asian economic powerhouse, with exporters looking to take advantage of China’s new zero-tariff arrangements to expand access for agricultural products.
Kenya’s exports to China fell to Sh16.9 billion in 2025, down from Sh26.3 billion in 2024, while imports from the country rose to Sh671.25 billion, according to figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
The resulting trade deficit of approximately Sh654.3 billion illustrates the scale of the imbalance and the difficulty Kenya faces in securing a stronger position in one of its largest trading relationships.
However, the introduction of zero-tariff treatment for eligible products from 53 African countries, effective May 1, 2026, has opened a new window for Kenyan exporters seeking to enter the Chinese market.
Agricultural products, including coffee, tea, avocados, macadamia nuts and horticultural produce, are among the goods expected to benefit from improved access.
Early indications suggest the arrangement is already having an impact. Kenyan avocado oil exports to China reportedly increased by 700 per cent, while coffee exports nearly doubled by the end of August, according to figures announced by Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan in September.
But while the removal of import duties offers a competitive advantage, businesses must still overcome other barriers, including quality requirements, export regulations, logistics and the challenge of establishing reliable distribution networks.
It is against this background that StarTimes is using its television programme, A Glimpse of China in the New Era 2026, to highlight the opportunities emerging from closer economic and cultural relations between Kenya and China.
Speaking during a press briefing in Nairobi on Friday, StarTimes Head of PR and Content Syndication Michael Mwai Mugo said the programme seeks to challenge the perception that the relationship between the two countries is largely about importing Chinese goods.
“When you think about our relationship with China, we always think about it from a very unilateral perspective, where we get things from China,” Mugo said.
“What we hope to achieve with this particular project is to show that it can be a two-way traffic.”
He argued that Kenya’s agricultural sector could benefit significantly if local producers began viewing China as a destination for their products rather than simply a source of machinery, technology and consumer goods.
China, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion people, presents a potentially lucrative market for Kenyan agricultural produce. However, accessing that market requires more than producing goods in large quantities.
Assistant Marketing Manager Joyce Qiuyue Xiahou said avocados were among the products with considerable potential because China relies on imports to meet its demand.
“From my experience, avocados are the most obvious export from Kenya to China. China doesn’t grow them, so they rely on imports,” she said.
Mugo also identified coffee and tea as products that could help Kenya strengthen its presence in the market, arguing that even a relatively small share of Chinese consumer demand could translate into substantial business opportunities.
“China is a country of 1.4 plus billion people. Imagine what it would mean if we could satisfy even part of that market with coffee and tea and other agricultural exports? These are growing opportunities,” he said.
For farmers and agribusinesses, however, the opportunity will depend on their ability to meet the requirements of international buyers, maintain consistent production and organise supply chains capable of handling large orders.
Access to the Chinese market also involves meeting phytosanitary and food safety standards, securing the necessary export documentation and complying with registration requirements.
These conditions mean that small-scale farmers may need to organise themselves through cooperatives, exporters or partnerships with established agribusinesses to participate meaningfully in international trade.
Mugo pointed to collaboration as another important lesson emerging from the programme, citing the experience of a Kenyan entrepreneur who partnered with Zambian and Chinese companies to export food products.
The arrangement demonstrates how businesses can combine resources, market knowledge and distribution networks to overcome some of the challenges associated with entering unfamiliar markets.
“China is a huge market, and volumes matter,” Mugo said.
“The Kenyan entrepreneur merged with a Zambian company and a Chinese company so they could export food products to China together. There is real power in collaboration.”
Such partnerships could help Kenyan businesses understand consumer preferences, navigate regulatory procedures and identify buyers, while also making it easier to meet the volume requirements of international markets.
The challenge is particularly relevant for small and medium-sized enterprises that may lack the financial capacity and technical expertise required to establish their own export networks.
Mugo said the programme also examines the practical experiences of people who have established business relationships across the two countries, including the regulations involved in exporting agricultural products and finding potential business partners.
The trade discussions form part of a wider exploration of the relationship between the two countries, with the series also featuring people who have studied, worked, married and built families in China.
Mugo said economic cooperation could not be sustained through physical infrastructure and commercial agreements alone, arguing that cultural understanding was equally important in building lasting relationships.
“Physical infrastructure is one thing. But the thread that puts all of us together is culture,” he said.
The programme explores Chinese traditions, martial arts, traditional medicine, family life and cross-cultural marriages, with the aim of giving Kenyan audiences a better understanding of the country’s society beyond its economic influence.
Now in its third season, A Glimpse of China in the New Era 2026 airs on ST Zone and ST Novela E on Saturdays and Sundays until November 15. It is also available on the StarTimes ON application.
StarTimes said it was also organising free community screenings in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret and Nakuru, targeting audiences including farmers who could benefit from information about emerging export markets.
Mugo said the screenings were intended to encourage producers to consider opportunities beyond traditional supply chains and explore the possibility of reaching international consumers.
The broader question, however, is whether the improved trade arrangements will translate into sustained growth for Kenyan exporters.
Although zero tariffs reduce the cost of accessing the Chinese market, they do not automatically guarantee buyers, competitive pricing or the capacity to supply goods consistently.
Kenya will therefore need to strengthen production, value addition, quality assurance and export logistics if it is to turn the new market access into higher earnings for farmers and businesses.
For exporters, the opportunity is no longer simply about what Kenya can buy from China, but what it can produce, process and successfully sell there.
