John Kimani-linked Kakuzi Plc receives approval to export avocados to China

Kakuzi Plc, a Kenya-based agro-allied company linked to media mogul John Kimani, has become one of the first local organizations to receive clearance from the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) to process and prepare export-grade fresh avocados for the Chinese market.

Kakuzi is a major agro-allied firm that is publicly traded on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. The company cultivates, processes, and sells avocados, blueberries, macadamia nuts, tea, cattle and commercial forestry. Kimani, who sits on Kakuzi’s board of directors, has a substantial 32.3-percent stake in the firm, totaling 6,330,699 shares.

Following a strict phytosanitary assessment of its farms and packhouse, the company was granted permission to process and produce export-grade fresh avocados for the Chinese market. This follows the recent signing of two bilateral trade conventions to ease Kenya’s sale of fresh avocados and aquatic goods to China.

As part of the protocol implementation, KEPHIS has conducted facility checks to assure the integrity of local packhouses designated to supply packaging solutions for avocado exports.

Chris Flowers, managing director of Kakuzi, commented on the development, stating that the firm gained the clearance after its fresh produce packhouse and orchards near Makuyu town were examined and found to be consistent with the high international standards.

“At Kakuzi Plc, we have invested more than Ksh200 million ($1.74 million) in the last one year to guarantee quality production and environmental management practices leading to such certifications as the GLOBALG.A.P,” Flowers said.

He went on to say that to guarantee that its locally grown fruits match international standards, the company will continue to invest in globally benchmarked personnel training as well as production facilities and methods, transforming it into a truly Kenyan yet world-class agricultural concern.

Experts disclosed that the clearance to process and prepare export-grade fresh avocados for the Chinese market would put Kakuzi on a sustainable revenue growth path, as the agro-allied corporation continues to explore ways to boost its earnings power.

Kakuzi shares were trading at Ksh415 ($3.627) per share as of March 17, giving the company a market capitalization of Ksh8.13 billion ($71.1 million).