Cabinet Secretary for Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives Adan Mohammed. [Photo: geeskaafrica.com]
The government is exploring ways of enhancing value addition for agricultural produce, mainly tea and coffee.
Speaking in Kiambu County over the weekend, Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohammed said that his ministry is set to make changes to policies governing the produce in order to promote value addition and discourage exportation.
"Some of the existing policies have discouraged local processing of produce instead of facilitating it," the CS said.
Mohammed said the government would lure investors into value addition using incentives such as exemption from some taxes and financial support.
"Processing coffee and tea locally is the only way to take the agriculture agenda to a higher level. This will, in turn, promote employment and increase revenue for farmers," he added.
The CS spoke during the 11th Farmers Open Day at the Sasini coffee factory in Kamundu.
Sasini chairman Naushad Merali said the firm, which processes 20 per cent of local coffee, was exploring new markets.
"There is untapped domestic and foreign market which we need to exploit to increase farmers income," said Merali.