Kenya ships first-ever Apple mango consignment to the UK market

Kenya has shipped its first-ever consignment of the Apple mango variety to the United Kingdom, marking a significant milestone in the country’s fresh produce export sector and confirming compliance with Britain’s food safety and plant health requirements.

The successful shipment demonstrates that Kenya has implemented phytosanitary measures that meet UK standards, opening the door for expanded mango exports into a high-value, year-round market, according to a recent release by TradeMark Africa (TMA). UK customs data places Britain’s fresh mango imports at around 81,000 tonnes in 2023, making it one of the world’s major destination markets.

The entry of Apple mangoes into the UK is particularly significant for Kenya, as the variety accounts for more than 80% of national mango production following over two decades of investment in varietal improvement, orchard management and post-harvest handling. Apple mangoes are characterised by uniform size, attractive colour, low fibre content, extended shelf life and consistent eating quality—attributes aligned with UK retail requirements.

Unlike other mango varieties that are often diverted into processing or culinary uses, Apple mangoes are primarily consumed fresh and are valued for their juicy texture and natural sweetness. Under controlled conditions, the variety can be stored for up to 30 days and remain fresh for several weeks thereafter, making cold-chain integrity a critical requirement for export.

Kenya’s mango exports have historically been shaped by compliance challenges. Between 2010 and 2014, repeated interceptions linked to fruit fly infestations led the country to impose a temporary self-export ban while strengthening pest management controls. Reforms introduced since then include a national fruit-fly surveillance and trapping network, mandatory orchard and packhouse registration, systems-based pest risk management across pre- and post-harvest stages, strengthened inspection and residue testing through accredited laboratories, and tighter cold-chain controls.

Although the ban was lifted in 2021, confidence among regulators and buyers was slow to recover. Kenya produces an average of 650,000 tonnes of mangoes annually, valued at over Kshs.10 billion, making it one of Africa’s largest mango producers. However, gaps in surveillance, residue testing, cold-chain management and traceability have continued to limit access to advanced markets such as the UK, which imports more than 70,000 tonnes of mangoes each year.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Floice Mukabana, Chief Executive Officer of KEPROBA, said, “Today is a defining moment in Kenya’s export transformation story and it speaks directly to our nation’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).The resumption of exports of Apple mango, Kenya’s most widely grown variety, gives us a competitive advantage in the export markets and will greatly benefit our smallholder farmers. We are here not just to launch a pilot shipment, but to demonstrate Kenya’s readiness to compete in a demanding global market. This pilot is a testament to our strengthened sanitary and phytosanitary systems, post-harvest handling, traceability, and cold-chain integrity from farm gate to final delivery.”

Daniel Wilcox, Economic Counsellor at the British High Commission Nairobi, said the shipment reflected broader trade objectives under the UK–Kenya Strategic Partnership. “Breaking trade barriers is a top priority for the renewed Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership, as we seek to double trade by 2030. The re-starting of apple mango exports to the UK is a massive result for our long-term efforts to improve trade infrastructure—from the roads the mangoes travel on, to the testing process that ensures their quality—including the provision of laboratory equipment in the last few weeks. We’re going far and going together!” he said.

Lillian Mwai, Country Director for Kenya at TradeMark Africa, said the pilot shipment demonstrated the impact of recent investments in compliance infrastructure. “Beyond the shipment itself, the pilot provides practical evidence that recent investments in compliance infrastructure can translate into restored market access. It reflects a broader recalibration in trade policy away from volume-driven exports towards quality-led competitiveness, in line with Kenya’s National Export Development Strategy and the UK–Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement,” she said.

The Apple mango value chain is dominated by smallholder farmers integrated into organised supply systems and is viewed as delivering strong development outcomes, including rural income support and increased participation of youth and women. The pilot shipment was facilitated under the UK-funded Regional Economic Development and Trade Investment Programme, implemented by TradeMark Africa in partnership with the Government of Kenya, the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya, the Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya and CABI International.