Pak-Kenya trade must expand beyond rice, tea

KARACHI, Nov 27 : Pakistan and Kenya must diversify their bilateral trade that is limited mostly to tea and rice, Vice President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Muhammad Naqi Bari said in a meeting with the Kenyan High Commissioner Mishi Masika Mwatsahu at KCCI. Vice President of KCCI said that the trade relation between two countries is limited to very few items and balance of trade is in favour of Kenya because Pakistan is the major buyer of Kenyan tea.

He suggested that there is a great potential of joint ventures in light engineering, information technology and tourism.
Pakistan is also producing defence products like tanks, armoured vehicles, trainer aircraft, cement plants and ships.

He also highlighted the need of holding regular trade exhibitions between two countries and suggested exploring possibilities of signing a PTA between the two countries.
Kenyan High Commissioner Mishi Masika Mwatsahu, said that the trade volume between two countries is around $200 million, which could be increased to a much higher level, through joint efforts.

Kenyan High Commissioner stressed on the need of identifying the constraints in expanding trade between the two countries and maintaining active follow up of the matters discussed in the meeting and increased coordination between the Karachi Chamber and the Kenyan High Commission in Islamabad.