Sea and airfreight charges are expected to go up exponentially starting December after the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) reintroduced physical test, examination and inspection charges that had been suspended in July this year.

Starting December 1, the cost of inspecting and acquiring a phytosanitary certificate to export a 40-feet container will increase from $11.8 to $90.5.

Kephis informed traders regarding the implementation of the new charges in a notice dated November 11.

This means that Kenya will become one of the most expensive routes for imports and exports in the region, compared with Tanzania, which charges about $17 for a phytosanitary certificate and inspection fee for export.

In the letter, Kephis Managing Director Theophilus Mutui stated: “In accordance with Legal Notice 48 of 2009 communicated on June 25, Kephis will fully enforce the stipulated charges for the inspection of imported and exported agricultural produce and regulated articles. This includes sea vessels and their flight containers, and aircrafts to ensure compliance with phytosanitary standards. The charges will come into effect starting December 1.”Mr Mutui said the implementation of the new charges will ensure quality imports and exports of agricultural produce and products, while also preventing the introduction and spread of pests and diseases.

East African Tea Trade Association Managing Director George Omuga said when the charges were introduced, they engaged Trade and Investment ministry, which promised to revoke the fees but no changes have been made.“The implementation was pushed from July 1, for further consultation, but the charges haven’t been reviewed. This means importing 150 containers of tea per day — which we do on average — we have to pay $5,780 for a sample of minor consignment for quality examination, from $1,156,” Mr Omuga told The EastAfrican.

Shippers Council of Eastern Africa Chief Executive Agayo Ogambi said traders have to increase operating fees which will be passed on to consumers to cover the new costs imposed by Kephis.

“We export in bulk and, for instance, if a business exports 400 (40ft reefer units of fresh produce) then this means annual phytosanitary cost will increase from current $4,625 to $35,452, which represents a 666.5 per cent increase,” Mr Ogambisaid.

Kephis intends to start charging physical inspection of empty ship at $77, whereas small vessels (Less than 10,000MTs, dhows and canoes) will be charged $7.7. The body will be charging $23 to inspect large aircraft and $11.5 for smaller ones.

Kenya in 2023 recorded a total imports worth $20,130, with the main imports being petroleum products (23 percent), industrial machinery (7 percent), iron and steel (6 percent), and edible oil (5 percent).

The country registered total exports of $7 billion, a 16.3 per cent increase from 2022. The top exports were tea, cut flowers, coffee, titanium ore and tropical fruits.

The main destinations for Kenya's exports were the US, Uganda, Pakistan, the Netherlands and Rwanda.

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Anthony Kitimo