Kenya has registered Ksh 5.2 billion decline in total exports which dropped to Ksh 80.7 billion in December last year compared to Ksh 85.9 billion recorded in November.
Latest data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) show that the decline in total exports was affected by a slowdown in domestic exports despite higher re-exports which increased from 9.8 billion in November to Ksh 11.2 billion. During the period, domestic exports declined by Ksh 6.7 billion to Ksh 69.4 billion.
The December exports value was the lowest last year following a high of Ksh 107.4 billion which was recorded during the month of February.
“Uganda, the USA and Pakistan were Kenya’s primary export destinations in December 2024, with export values of Ksh 7.4 billion, Ksh 6 billion, and Ksh 5.2 billion, respectively,” says KNBS in its Leading Economic Indicator for December 2024.
Between November and December 2024, KNBS says total trade volume decreased by Ksh 14.9 billion, from Ksh 313.6 billion to Ksh 298.7 billion.
The provisional figures by KNBS further show that total exports in a year to December 2024 increased by Ksh 6.8 billion from Ksh 1 trillion in 2023 to Ksh was Ksh 1.01 trillion last year.
Total imports on the other hand have surged by Ksh 86.8 billion, from Ksh 2.6 trillion in 2023 to Ksh 2.7 trillion last year representing an increase of 3.3pc.
However despite the increase in overall imports, the total value of goods the country imported between November and December 2024 reduced from Ksh 227.7 billion to Ksh 218 billion.
“China, the United Arab Emirates and India were Kenya’s leading import partners in December 2024, with import values of KSh 53.2 billion, KSh 33.1 billion, and KSh 18.8 billion, respectively,” noted KNBS.
According to KNBS, the dominant export category was food and beverages, which accounted for 40.8pc of total domestic exports which stood at Ksh 28.4 billion.
On the other hand, non-food industrial supplies comprised 25.8pc equivalent to Ksh 17.9 billion, while machinery and other capital equipment constituted 2pc of total exports at Ksh 1.4 billion.
The predominant import category was non-food industrial supplies where imports amounted to Ksh 82.1 billion accounting for 37.7pc of total imports.
Fuel and lubricants comprised 21.4pc, machinery and other capital equipment made up 14.4pc and food and beverages constituted 8.2pc, the data show.
