Last year, EPZ-based factories earned 35.2 billion shillings from finished product exports to Europe, Middle East and the US local. [Photo/businessdailyafrica.com]
Firms making garments at Export Processing Zones are taking advantage of a government directive that they sell 20 percent of goods they manufacture locally on duty free basis.
So far, EPZs have sold export quality products in Nairobi, Mombasa and Nyeri.
Some of the world’s biggest clothing brands like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger & Victoria’s Secrets are usually manufactured in Kenya at the export processing zones.
In spite of there being a government directive that companies at the EPZ should sell 20 percent of goods they manufacture locally on duty free basis, many of these clothes are still out of the reach to many Kenyans who highly depend on mitumba clothes.
Last year, EPZ-based factories earned 35.2 billion shillings from finished product exports to Europe, Middle East and the US local.
Having started of the local super sales in Nairobi and Mombasa Friday EPZ based companies were in Nyeri county to promote garments that are of export quality to the local market.
Under the United States under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Growth programme (Agoa), Kenya has so far exceeded 400 million US dollars of exports making it the leading apparel exporter to the US, in sub-Saharan Africa.