Govt plans to boost leather and textiles sector
Cabinet Secretary for East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism Phyllis Kandie. PHOTO / ANN KAMONI
What you need to know:
- Medium and small enterprises will receive more support in market linkages through “test markets.”
The government will put more focus on improving leather and textiles industries in the next financial year to grow exports.
Industrialisation and Enterprise Development Principal Secretary Wilson Songa said the two industries will receive greater attention as part of efforts to boost the Kenyan economy.
“The ministry has identified 10 points to grow industrialisation in the country. In the next financial year, we shall concentrate on three points, that is textile, leather and ease of doing business,” he said at a fare.
He spoke during an exhibition for local products held at the Laico Regency hotel in Nairobi on Monday. The exhibition, which was organised by Export Promotion Council, is among efforts geared towards promoting markets for local products.
TRADE IMBALANCE
He said the African market was huge, adding that local producers would have their wares showcased at trade fairs to be held in Dar es Salaam and South Africa.
Medium and small enterprises will receive more support in market linkages through “test markets” as a way of expanding their reach from local to East African and global outlets.
Kenya’s exports declined by 3 per cent in 2013 to Sh502 billion from Sh518 billion while imports increased from Sh1.37 billion to Sh1.4 billion, further widening the trade imbalance.
“The trade imbalance widened to Sh911 billion and needs to be corrected. This is a worrisome situation. We need to forestall the expansion of the gap and deepen exportable products,” Ministry of East Africa, Commerce and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phylis Kandie said.
