Local and foreign investors have the opporunity to get involved in Kenya's edible oil sector. Total domestic production of edible oil is around 380 000 tonnes annually – only one third of total demand.
The vegetable oil industry consists of processors, who extract the oil from the seeds and also produce cake for use in animal feeds, and refiners who convert the crude oil into a form suitable for human consumption.
Kenya is ranked number 15 worldwide for the export of vegetable fats and oil. The country exports these goods mainly East Africa and the Horn of Africa, as well to the United States and Europe.
Investment Opportunity
Kenya imports edible oil worth over US$100 million annually presenting huge opportunities to produce for the local market. A number of oil seeds are suitable for cultivation in Kenya but sunflower, sesame, soya beans, rapeseed, coconut, castor, groundnuts and sunflower have the most potential.
Areas in the oil crop sub-sector where investors can get involved include:
In the service sector, opportunities exist in the following areas:
For more information about this an other investment opportunities in Kenya please contact Margaret Waithaka, Manager: New Investments at the Export Processing Zones Authority mwaithaka@epzkenya.com
