Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KNCCI) is orchestrating a strategic move for local businesses to explore export markets in the face of a weakening shilling.

Vice president Mustafa Ramadhan envisions this initiative as a potential remedy for a positive balance of trade, aiming for a trade surplus where exports surpass imports.

To fortify this endeavour, KNCCI has established an operational office in China, securing export orders totaling Sh280 million within the first two months.

Notably, the focal point of this collaboration is the burgeoning demand for mushrooms in the vast Chinese market, estimated at a staggering Sh90 billion annually.

“The demand for mushrooms is around Sh90 billion per year… we have agreed with them and we have carefully selected 12 people to go and train people on farming of mushrooms that can grow in all weather conditions,” Ramadhan said. “So someone from those trainers will be coming to this region to train people on how to grow mushrooms and take advantage of the Sh90 billion market,” he said.
Ramadhan expressed optimism, revealing plans to send selected individuals for specialised training in mushroom farming.

With mushrooms adaptable to diverse weather conditions, these trained individuals will then impart their knowledge locally, opening doors to a substantial market share.

Assuring support for farmers venturing into this sector, Ramadhan affirmed KNCCI’s commitment to securing funding for budding mushroom cultivators. Meanwhile, KNCCI Mombasa chapter chair Abudh Jamal underscored collaborative efforts with national and county governments to enhance the business environment amid challenging economic conditions.

KNCCI is actively partnering with donors and stakeholders to provide crucial support in terms of capital and capacity building.

“We are involved in a lot of lobbying and advocacy. We are working with a lot of partners and donors to see how we can support them in terms of capital and capacity building in these harsh economic times. They also need a lot of training so that they can be resilient,” he noted.