Kenyan farmers can now sell dried chillies to China. The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) said the crop has been cleared for export. Shipments must meet China's phytosanitary, food safety and quality requirements. Pulse Live Kenya reported that KEPHIS announced the market access in October. The approval follows Announcement No. 50 of 2026 from China's General Administration of Customs (GACC), issued on April 26. It admits dried chillies from African countries that have diplomatic relations with China.
Commercial shipments will begin only once farms and facilities meet a list of conditions. Farms, drying sites, processing plants and packing houses must register with KEPHIS. Export processing and packing facilities must also register with Chinese customs. KEPHIS will inspect and approve them before they are put forward to GACC. Every consignment needs a KEPHIS phytosanitary certificate.
The food safety rules are tight. Chillies must stay within China's limits on pesticide residues, aflatoxin B1 and heavy metals. Sudan dyes are banned, and shipments must be free of Salmonella. Moisture content cannot exceed 13 per cent, KBC Digital reported. Shipments must also be free of quarantine pests such as the khapra beetle, cowpea weevil and common bean bruchid. Exporters must keep traceability records and hold pest-monitoring records for at least two years.
Farmers welcomed the news. Judy Towett, a farmer from the Kerio Valley, told KBC Digital the opening was good news. She asked for more government support to help growers meet standards and find buyers. "Let's get into production, let's grow with the right knowledge, meet export standards and turn this opportunity into actual shipments," she said.
Pulse Live Kenya cautioned that market approval does not guarantee orders, prices or immediate shipments. Exporters will need reliable buyers, steady volumes and transport to China. The outlet said the deal opens room for investment in drying and packaging facilities. Areas where farmers can organise supply through cooperatives, aggregators and established exporters stand to gain most.
According to a China Daily report cited by KBC Digital, the approval comes as Kenya seeks to diversify farm exports. Nairobi also wants to benefit from China's expanded zero-tariff policy. That policy took effect on May 1 and covers all 53 African countries with which Beijing has diplomatic relations. Kenya already sells avocados to China. Last month, Trade CS Lee Kinyanjui led a delegation to Beijing to seek Chinese investment in manufacturing and agro-processing.