A Breakdown of Export Crops Yielding Huge Profits in Kenya 

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Kenya’s farmlands have quietly become a battlefield of global appetites. Europe demands for roses, China hungers for macadamia nuts, and the West is obsessed with its avocados. The country’s export crops are quietly opening up pathways for billion-shilling businesses reshaping rural economies and drawing the attention of investors. 

In this article, we break down the crops yielding the biggest profits, the forces driving their success, and what this means for the future of Kenya’s agricultural economy.

The Kenya Export Market

Kenya’s agriculture is pivoting toward high-margin exports. In the past five years the country has ramped up production of cash crops like avocados, macadamia nuts, tea, coffee and cut flowers. Horticulture – including fruits, vegetables and flowers – now earns ~153.7 billion KES (≈$1.1 billion) in 2023, up from KES 147.1 billion in 2022. Smallholders dominate: roughly 70–80% of fruits and nuts (avocados, macadamia, mangoes, etc.) and cut-flowers are grown on family farms. At the same time Kenya’s traditional exports – tea and coffee – are securing record prices. Together, these crops form the backbone of Kenya’s export growth and rural incomes. Key highlights:

• Cut flowers & horticulture: Kenya is the world’s 2nd-largest cut-flower exporter (leading supply of EU roses at ~40% market share. In 2023 the country shipped 221,100 t of flowers (up from 202,900 t in 2022) with revenues of KES 104.3 B. More broadly, fruits and vegetables (from avocados to snow peas) fetched KES 46.1 B in 2023, up from KES 42.9 B. Infrastructure and tech – greenhouses, drip-irrigation, cold chains – have lifted yields and compliance with export standards.
  
• Tea: A classic earner. 2023 saw record tea exports – 522.9 Mkg, a 16% rise over 2022, and revenues of KES 180.6 B (≈$1.22 B), up 31%. Pakistan remains the top buyer (210 Mkg). The weak shilling and rising global demand drove earnings, says the Tea Board CEO. The government now pushes value‐addition (packaged teas) from 5% toward 50% of exports by 2027 to further boost farmer income.
  
• Coffee: A smaller-volume export but premium-priced. Kenyan Arabica fetched ~KSh 61,416 per 100 kg in 2023, far above tea, thanks to specialty niche markets. Yet output has halved over decades – only ~48,700 t produced in 2023 as farmers switch to other crops. Reviving coffee hinges on supporting the ~70% of coffee under smallholders with cooperatives, training, and climate-smart tech.
  

Avocados: Green Gold Crops for Smallholders

Kenya has become “the undisputed avocado king of Africa,” exporting record volumes even amid weather swings. In 2024 avocado exports earned about $159 million (an 11% jump year-over-year). Production dipped from 633 KMT (2023) to 562 KMT in 2024 due to drought, but is projected to rebound to ~585 KMT in 2025 on improved farming methods. Nearly 70% of Kenya’s ~966,000 avocado growers are smallholders managing a few dozen trees each

Kenyan avocados benefit from a year-round tropical climate and high yields (averaging ~16.2 t/ha in 2023, second globally. Recent years have seen expansion into new counties (beyond Murang’a and Kisii) and government support (quality seedlings, training, subsidies) to boost output. Key export markets include Europe and the Middle East – e.g. the Netherlands took ~32% of exports in 2024. Farmers are deploying better post-harvest tech (sorting, cold-chain) to meet demand. Bloomberg Insight: “Avocado earnings are being reinvested in community services and education,” reports a Kenyan agri-economist, noting that Kenya’s moderate temperatures and two annual harvest seasons give it a competitive edge. Trends: Exports grew ~19% YTD to Oct 2024; global demand for avocados is surging ~7–8% annually (health-food trends).

Drivers of avocado profitability:

• Ideal climate (year-round harvest windows) and high yields.
  
• Growing global demand (superfood trend in US/EU).
  
• Investments in supply chain (cold storage, phytosanitary zones) and AgTech (drip irrigation, grafted trees).
  
• Government incentives (nurseries, traceability) plus rising domestic consumption (~47% of output).
  

Macadamia Nuts: A Cash Crop on the Rise

Kenya is now a top-5 macadamia producer globally (roughly 13,700 t kernel in 2018). Some 90–95% of Kenya’s macadamia harvest goes to exports, mainly to the US, EU, Japan and China. Macadamia is extremely high-value: in 2018 macadamia kernels sold for ~KSh 1,380/kg, making it “one of the most lucrative cash crops in Kenya after tea”.

However, farmgate prices have been volatile. A raw export ban (2009–2022) and recent flood of new African producers suppressed local prices. Analysts note that in 2023 many farmers received as little as KSh 180/kg in-shell, far below global market rates. The industry argues for stronger agronomic support (better seedlings, pest control) and processing capacity to improve kernel quality.

Tea: Record-Breaking Classic Export

Tea remains a bedrock export. In 2023 Kenya’s tea earnings hit a record KSh 180.6 B (≈$1.22 B), a 31% rise over 2022. Export volume climbed 16% to 522.9 Mkg. The boom was aided by a weak shilling and robust demand from Pakistan (209.6 Mkg of Kenya tea in 2023) and other markets. As Tea Board CEO Willy Mutai noted, 2023 yields were “the best ever recorded” for Kenya’s tea industry.

The government is now tackling long-term challenges. Deputy President Gachagua said reforms will address rising costs, quality issues and lack of value-addition. One initiative aims to raise processed tea (packet/can) from just 5% of exports to 50% by 2027. Specialty tea (fruit, herbal blends) is another focus: Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi says a new incubation center will train youth in high-value tea products.

Coffee: Premium Beans for Arab Market

Kenyan coffee is prized for quality, but volumes have shrunk. Production fell from 128,926 t in the late 1980s to only ~48,700 t in 202. Still, prices are strong: Arabica futures around $370/60kg in early 2025 (versus ~$100–$150 just a few years prior). Economist David Muge notes “none of Kenya’s agricultural exports commands a greater price in international markets than coffee”. Indeed, coffee farmers earned ~KSh 61,416 per 100 kg in 2023, more than double tea farmers’ returns.

The policy focus is on revival. About 70% of coffee is grown by smallholders, often in cooperatives, many on aging plots. Revitalisation plans include replanting incentives with high-density, rust-resistant varieties, restoring extension services, and improving access to credit. AgTech plays a role too: digital apps and kiosks are beginning to connect farmers to weather forecasts and pricing information. On balance, coffee earns Kenyans record dollars but will need strategic support (climate-smart seeds, landscape management) to scale up again.

Flowers and Vegetables: Another Blooming Sector

Kenya’s floriculture industry remains a powerhouse. In 2023 it exported 221,100 t of cut flowers (mostly roses) – above 2022’s 202,900 t – bringing KSh 104.3 B. Roughly 90% of Kenya’s cut-flower workforce is female, and the sector employs 500,000 people. Dutch auctions are still the main channel (~52% of sales), but direct shipments to EU retailers are rising. Strong demand for diverse varieties (lilies, gypsophila, summer flowers) has led growers to adopt advanced greenhouses, hybrid planting schedules, and on-site irrigation to optimise year-round output.

Looking Ahead

Kenya’s agric sector is ready to  ride the global food trends profitably. The rising global appetite for healthy foods (avocados, superfruits) and a steady EU market for cut flowers have underpinned growth. At the same time, Africa’s largest economy sees room for diversification. Future candidates for export growth include French beans to the EU, specialty grains for Middle East markets, and even biofuel crops as energy prices climb. Climate-smart breeding (drought-tolerant avocado or coffee varieties) is being fast-tracked by research institutes.