The FPEAK boss said Kenyan exporters are diversifying from the traditional European Union markets to the US and South East Asia due to competition posed by emerging exporters like Egypt, Morocco and Central America on EU markets.
"We want to enter the American markets whose population of about 300 million people is as big as the EU market," he said.
Tiku at the same appealed to Kenya Airways to hasten plans to start direct flights to the US to help exporters take advantage of the emerging markets in the US," he said.
He said the strong shilling, high fuel costs, heavy rains and high electricity costs had adversely affected performance of the horticultural exports.
The head of the agricultural experts Mr Michael K Hennessey said in addition to products approved by congress, the US was keen on importing french beans from Kenya if only the exporters meet sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
Hennessey said the team would present their findings to US authorities to determine how fast other Kenyan products will access their markets.
"Our mission is to mitigate where we feel Kenyan exporters are failing in meeting our specifications though I'm optimistic that the findings are positive," he said.
The US team visited farmers in Timau, Naivasha, Molo, Nakuru and packaging facilities at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Source: The East African Standard
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