KENYA – The Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya (FPC Kenya) has strongly opposed the new fees for phytosanitary services recently announced by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) set to take effect on July 15, 2024.
Okisegere Ojepat, CEO of FPC Kenya, expressed strong opposition to the new fees. “We oppose the implementation of these fees for phytosanitary services by KEPHIS,” Ojepat announced in a LinkedIn post. “This is killing Kenya’s export business. We oppose these levies and charges.”
The new fees will impact all importers and exporters of agricultural products within Kenya.
Exporters of fresh produce will need to obtain a phytosanitary certificate and undergo inspection, which will be charged at a rate of 50 cents per kilogram with a minimum charge of Ksh100 (USD 0.78). Additionally, each phytosanitary certificate will cost Ksh500 (USD 3.88).
For imported agricultural products, KEPHIS will require a plant import permit and inspection certificate, with a charge of 50 cents per kilogram and an additional Ksh600 (USD 4.65) per plant permit.
Traders seeking to import or export agricultural produce will need to pay Ksh10,000 (USD 77.52) for ship inspection. Large vessels will incur an extra Ksh5,000 (USD 38.76) for a physical test, while smaller vessels, including dhows and canoes, will be charged Ksh1,000 (USD 7.75).
Inspection fees for containers will also apply, with 40-foot containers being billed Ksh1,000 for each inspection and 20-foot containers Ksh500 (USD 3.88). Moisture content determination per sample will cost Ksh1,000 (USD 7.75).
Air transport inspections will charge Ksh3,000 (USD 23.26) for large aircraft and Ksh1,500 (USD 11.58) for small aircraft.
KEPHIS’s notice also stated that samples of minor consignments for quality examination will be charged Ksh5,000 (USD 38.76) per consignment.
The new fees are expected to significantly affect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) involved in the agricultural sector.
Many traders fear that the increased costs will make their products less competitive in international markets, potentially leading to a decline in exports.
Despite the backlash from FPC Kenya and traders, the government maintains that the new fees are necessary to ensure the quality and safety of agricultural products.
KEPHIS argues that the fees will help cover the costs of inspections and certifications, which are essential for maintaining the integrity of Kenya’s agricultural exports.
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