Kenya’s external trade rose 24.4 percent in the first half of the year compared to a similar period in 2020 boosted by increased normalization of global commerce as countries ramp up COVID-19 vaccinations, the national statistics bureau in a report released Friday. The trade increased from 109 billion shillings (about 995 million U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2020 to 1.24 billion dollars during January-June period of this year, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) said.
Of the trade, imports stood at 905 million dollars, up from 709 million dollars in the first half of 2020 as the country intensified shipment of oil and machinery for infrastructure development. Exports, on the other hand, similarly rose in the first half to stand at 337 million dollars as global trade opened up. Kenya’s main exports are tea, coffee, and vegetables, while imports consist of machinery, transport equipment, oil, iron, steel, resins and plastics.