Dates market in Kenya

Earlier Report Observations

The volume of the dates market in Kenya grew from 6 227 t in 2018 to 9 085 t in 2023, driven primarily by increasing imports which rose from 5 168 t to 8 079 t over the period. Domestic production remained stable at around 1 100 t per year, well below the potential identified by agricultural research organizations for date palm farming in arid regions.

A notable acceleration in import growth occurred from 2020 onward, with market volume expanding by 26% that year. By 2022, broader consumer trends favoring healthy produce contributed to sustained import demand. In 2023, the market volume stabilized, while promotion efforts by KALRO and other agencies highlighted ongoing initiatives to develop domestic date palm cultivation through certified nurseries and processing infrastructure.

In value terms, the market peaked at 4.4 million USD in 2020 before declining to 4.0 million USD in 2023, reflecting price volatility for imported dates. The stable but low domestic production value, which fell from 1.2 million USD to 0.7 million USD, underscored the market's continued reliance on imports.

Production dates in Kenya

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Kenya ranked 30th globally in date production between 2017 and 2020.

Top producers of dates, 2017-2020

World map of production of dates, 2017-2020

In 2020, Kenya produced 1 071 tonnes of dates, a figure that remained virtually unchanged from the previous year. The largest decline occurred in 2018, with a drop of 0.2%.

Annual dynamics of production in Kenya in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports dates from Kenya

Exports in kind, t

The export market for dates from Kenya showed significant volatility during this period. Exports reached their lowest point in 2018 at 13 tonnes, with the largest decline that year at 86.5%. They then rebounded sharply in 2019, posting the largest increase of 127.5%. By 2020, exports had risen to 44 tonnes, marking a 43.5% increase compared to 2019. The peak was in 2017, creating a 7.4-fold difference between the highest and lowest years.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Kenya in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Uganda and South Sudan were the primary destinations for Kenya's date exports in volume terms. Uganda accounted for 46.7% of total flows, while South Sudan made up 34.9%, together representing 81.6% of all exports. The remaining volume was distributed among other trading partners.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Kenya in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

The value of date exports from Kenya also experienced notable fluctuations. The lowest value was recorded in 2018 at 16 000 US dollars, with the largest decline that year at 46.9%. By 2020, exports had surged to 48 000 US dollars, reflecting a sharp 81.7% increase from the previous year. This peak in 2020 resulted in a 3.1-fold gap compared to the lowest point in 2018.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Kenya in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

In terms of value from 2017 to 2020, South Sudan, Uganda, and Djibouti were the key markets for Kenya's date exports. South Sudan led with 54.2% of exports, followed by Uganda at 16.0% and Djibouti at 12.3%. Together, these three countries accounted for 82.5% of total export value, with the remainder going to other destinations.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Kenya in value, 2017-2020

Imports dates to Kenya

Imports in kind, t

Kenya's date imports in volume terms grew over the 2017-2020 period. The largest decline occurred in 2019, with a drop of 2.9%. By 2020, imports had reached 6 600 tonnes, up 31.5% from 2019. Overall, imports increased by 45.1% from 2017 to 2020, equivalent to an annualized growth rate of 13.2%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Kenya in kind, 2017-2020, t

Between 2017 and 2020, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia dominated Kenya's date imports in volume. Together, they accounted for 91.4% of total import flows, with the remaining share distributed among other markets.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Kenya in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

In value terms, Kenya's date imports also showed strong growth. The largest decline was in 2019, at 7.7%. By 2020, imports had climbed to 3 229 000 US dollars, a steep 34.9% increase year-over-year. Over the entire 2017-2020 period, imports rose by 58.7%, with a compound annual growth rate of 16.6%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Kenya in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

From 2017 to 2020, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were the leading sources for Kenya's date imports in value terms. They jointly represented 89.2% of total import flows, while the remaining volume was split among smaller markets.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Kenya in value, 2017-2020