Tanzania is eyeing Kenyan supermarkets and consumer supply chains in new efforts to revamp cross border trade between the two countries.

This means that once the ongoing bilateral talks are successfully completed, Kenyans are likely to see more Tanzania products in the shelves of local supermarkets.

Speaking during a press briefing on the upcoming four day Made in Tanzania exhibition set to kick off today at Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Tanzanian ambassador to Kenya Pindi Chana said this is part of the objectives of the exhibitions.

“The exhibition aims is creating more awareness of Tanzania products and services to the Kenyan private sector and general public at large,” Chana said.

She further noted that in the trade between the two countries, Tanzania will focus highly on the Tourism, technology Services, food stuffs, fruits, culture art and craft sectors.

While giving his remarks during the press briefing, Robert Ng’ong’a, the deputy director of bilateral trade at the State department of international trade said that trade between the two countries has largely been affected by competition from other international countries.

However, he refused to disclose names of the third force citing ongoing investigations on how to solve the issue, instead he said that talks are ongoing between the two countries to find the way forward and that the exhibition is as a result of the said talks.

Made in Kenya exhibition week in Tanzania will also be held within the 2018/2019 financial year.

This follows slowed trade between the two leading East Africa economies in the last two years due to rules of origin and application of non-tariff barriers.

In September 2017, Trade Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo and his Tanzanian counterpart Adolf Mugenda agreed to open up borders and do away with the restrictive practices. They also agreed to form a joint committee that will smoothen the flow of goods between the countries.

Data from Central Bank shows that Tanzania sold more goods to Kenya in the last 10 months ending to October 2017 despite cutting back on consumption of locally made products. This saw their imports increase to Sh13.26 billion, a 25.4 per cent increase from 2016.

On the other hand, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics show that Kenya’s exports to Tanzania in the period recorded a 10-year low to Sh 20.34 billion recording 21.07 per cent dip from Sh25.77 billlion recorded in 2016 with trade between the two countries remaining in favour of Kenya.

Within the last three years, products such as medicaments, sugar, edibles, petroleum products among others were the most traded between the two countries.

Source: The Star

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