Trade facilitation

The US Meat Export Federation recently submitted comments to the Office of the US Trade Representative on the US-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership. The discussions won’t be in the form of a formal trade agreement for the moment, but will focus on other trade facilitation and collaboration measures.

• The highlights were several non-tariff barriers and potential trade obstacles, including concerns about Kenya's burdensome import license system, restrictions on transshipment of products, and a lack of clarity on import veterinary drug residue and microbiological standards.

🤔 Nevertheless, while the Biden administration isn’t currently seeking to address tariffs, Kenya's 35% duty rate on imported beef and pork is trade-prohibitive. So even if other barriers are eliminated, addressing the issue is certainly a necessity for increasing opportunities for US red meat in a meaningful way.