The UK has received its first ever Kenyan apple mangoes following the successful clearance of a three-tonne ‘pilot’ consignment. Delicious, fresh apple mangoes left Nairobi airport on 20 December after a ceremonial send-off, landing at Heathrow in the UK on 22 December. Meeting essential food safety and plant health standards, this milestone delivery marks the start of more seasonal availability and a wider variety of mangoes for British consumers – just in time for Christmas.
The pilot comes after successful efforts to boost production and enhance compliance to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards for mangoes. Apple mangoes are primarily consumed fresh, with no processing. Therefore, they are subject to stricter compliance standards. In 2018, partners embarked on an ambitious investment, helping producers and exporters to meet the necessary market requirements. From pest management to traceability documentation, the initiative has paved the way to opening apple mango trade ties with Kenya.
Launched under the UK International Development-funded Economic Development and Trade Investment Programme, the pilot was implemented by TradeMark Africa in partnership with the Kenyan Government, the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya, the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya, and CABI. With its corporate office in Oxfordshire in the UK, CABI supports smallholder farmers with pest management in countries such as Kenya, breaking down barriers to trade and creating sustainable food value chains
Daniel Wilcox, Economic Counsellor at the British High Commission in Nairobi, said, “Breaking trade barriers is a top priority for the renewed UK–Kenya Strategic Partnership, as we seek to double trade by 2030. The re-starting of apple mango exports to the UK is a massive result for our long-term efforts to improve trade infrastructure – from the roads the mangos travel on, to the testing process that ensures their quality, including the provision of laboratory equipment in the last few weeks. We’re going far and going together!”
Lillian Mwai, Country Director for Kenya at TradeMark Africa, said, “Beyond the shipment itself, the pilot provides practical evidence that recent investments in compliance infrastructure can translate into restored market access. It reflects a broader recalibration in trade policy away from volume-driven exports towards quality-led competitiveness, in line with Kenya’s National Export Development Strategy and the UK–Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement.”
