Eldoret International Airport main gate. [Photo: StandardMedia.co.ke]
Counties in the North Rift region have been challenged to put in place mechanisms that will ensure locals fully benefit from the existence of the Eldoret International Airport.
Principal Secretary in the State Department of Trade Dr. Chris Kiptoo says counties need to encourage farmers to venture into producing agricultural products that can be exported.
Addressing the press in Eldoret town on Thursday, Dr. Kiptoo lamented that there were cargo planes operating at the Eldoret airport but always return while almost empty.
"It's so surprising that the two cargo planes that land here in Eldoret fully weekly while fully leave without any exports yet this region has a huge potential of products to export," Dr. Kiptoo said.
"Counties need to work on how to take advantage of that cargo capacity we have here by organizing farmers to produce products for exports," he added.
The Eldoret International Airport (EIA) has positioned itself as a regional cargo hub as it can accommodate medium-size haul planes such as Boeing B767 or Airbus 310.
The existing structure can handle 1.5 million passengers, 62,000 tonnes of cargo and 36,000 aircrafts per year.
The airport currently handles two Airbus cargo flights, one jumbo jet 747 series and two small jets.