Nuts & oil crops products are regulated by the AFA Nuts & Oil Crops Directorate (NOCD) who are charged with the mandate of promoting best practices, regulate the production, processing, marketing, grading, storage, collection, transportation & warehousing of agricultural products. A trader intending to export palm oil must first register with AFA NOCD who issue an export licence that is valid for one (1) financial year, beginning 1st July to 30th June. For more information on how to obtain the export licence, click on the link.
The regulation of plant & plant materials is under the mandate of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), who is responsible for the assurance of plant health, seed, plant variety, & agro-inputs quality issues in Kenya, to prevent adverse impact on the economy, the environment and human health. Exporters of plant & plant materials are required to obtain a phytosanitary certificate per consignment, which is processed through KEPHIS’ Integrated Export Import Certification System (IEICS). For more information on how to register on IEICS, click the link.
The Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade) is a State Corporation mandated to establish, implement & manage the Trade Facilitation Platform (TFP), and to facilitate trade. The TFP is an online platform that serves as a single entry point for parties involved in international trade & transport logistics to lodge documents electronically, for processing, approvals and to make payments electronically for fees, levies, duties & taxes due to the Government, on imported or exported goods. Training is mandatory for new users of the system prior to registration on the system; this includes new staff from organizations already registered on the TFP. For more information on how to register on the TFP, click the link.
This procedure applies to first time traders who require to obtain a preferential certificate of origin during export. Traders are required to register with the Kenya Revenue Authority’s (KRA) Rules of Origin Section to obtain a registration letter. The letter confirms the country of origin of the goods to be exported and is a requirement when applying for the preferential certificate of origin.
The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KNCCI) is the umbrella body of the private sector in Kenya. The Chamber is an autonomous, non-profit, membership-based & private sector lobby institution. Membership to the Chamber is not mandatory however, membership is diverse and has benefits such as networking opportunities, training consultancy, customer referrals & credibility in your business to mention a few. For more information on how to register with KNCCI, click the link.
This procedure applies to first-time traders who require to obtain a preferential certificate of origin during export. Traders are required to register with the Kenya Revenue Authority’s (KRA) Rules of Origin Section to obtain a registration letter. The letter confirms the country of origin of the goods to be exported and is a requirement when applying for the preferential certificate of origin. For more information on how to register with the KRA Rules of Origin Section, click the link.
A food hygiene licence is required for all facilities that process and package products that are for human consumption, e.g packhouses. The licence is issued by Port Health Services Kenya (PHS) or by Public Health Officers, from the respective County Governments where the premises are located. The licence is valid for one (1) calendar year. For more information on how to obtain a food hygiene licence from either the County Government or County Public Health Office, select from the options below.
Nuts & oil crops products are regulated by the AFA Nuts & Oil Crops Directorate (NOCD) who are charged with the mandate of promoting best practices, regulate the production, processing, marketing, grading, storage, collection, transportation & warehousing of agricultural products. An export declaration form levy is issued per consignment of nuts & oil crops products. Prior to application, applicants are required to obtain a licence from the Directorate. For more information on how to obtain the export declaration form levy, click the link.
The AfCFTA certificate of origin is an international trade document which certifies that a certain product being exported is wholly manufactured, produced, processed or obtained from the exporting country. COO is issued by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Rules of Origin Section. For more information on how to obtain the certificate, click the link.
The European Union (EU) certificate of origin is required for goods obtained, manufactured, produced or processed in Kenya, and are to be exported within the European community. The certificate is issued per consignment. For more information on how to obtain the certificate, click the link.
The COMESA certificate of origin is required for goods obtained, manufactured, produced or processed in Kenya, and are to be exported within the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region. The certificate is issued per consignment. For more information on how to obtain the certificate, click the link.
The Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) certificate of origin is required for goods obtained, manufactured, produced or processed in Kenya, and are to be exported to a member state. The certificate is issued per consignment. For more information on how to obtain the certificate, click the link.
The EAC certificate of origin is required for goods obtained, manufactured, produced or processed in Kenya, and are to be exported within the East African Community (EAC) region. The certificate is issued per consignment. For more information on how to obtain the certificate, click the link.
The African Growth & Opportunity Act (AGOA) certificate of origin is required for goods obtained, manufactured, produced or processed in Kenya, and are to be exported to a country within the AGOA trade Act. The certificate is issued per consignment. For more information on how to obtain the certificate, click the link.
A non-preferential certificate of origin is an export document issued by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) that confirms the country of origin of goods being exported.For more information on how to obtain the certificate, click the link.
The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) has the mandate to issue the (ordinary/non-preferential) Certificate of Origin (COO) to all exporters of goods originating from Kenya. For more information on how to obtain the certificate, click the link.
An export certificate is issued by AFA Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD) to an exporter of horticultural produce (fresh fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers) as an indication that AFA HCD has cleared the consignment for export. For more information on how to obtain the certificate, click the link.
The National Biosafety Authority (NBA) is mandated to exercise general supervision and control over the transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms with a view to ensuring safety of human and animal health and provision of an adequate level of protection of the environment. The Authority issues a licence for export of produce that are globally known/suspected to be of possible Genetically modified organism e.g., maize (add more commodities), for each consignment. The market requirements in the country of destination will determine the need for the GMO certificate. For more information on how to obtain the certificate, click on the link.
A phytosanitary certificate certifies that plants & plant products are free from regulated pests and conform with other phytosanitary requirements of the importing country. Traders are required to obtain a phytosanitary certificate for each consignment, and are expected to know the market requirements of their intended export market. The certificate is issued by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS). For more information on how to obtain the certificate, click the link.
This procedure sequentially compiles the licences, permits and clearance steps to be fulfilled by a registered business owner exporting a consignment of palm oil, of more than $2000 of value, for the first time out of Kenya, via the Port of Mombasa.
This procedure sequentially compiles the licences, permits and clearance steps to be fulfilled by a registered business owner exporting a consignment of palm oil, of more than $2000 of value, for the first time out of Kenya, via the Port of Mombasa.
The Agriculture & Food Authority (AFA) is mandated to promote best practices & regulate the production, processing, marketing, grading, storage, collection, transportation, & warehousing of agricultural products, excluding livestock products, as well as documenting & monitoring agriculture through registration of players as provided for in the Crops Act. Registration is done on the AFA Integrated Management Information System (IMIS); an automated platform that facilitates traders importing & exporting crops to acquire regulatory documents from AFA Directorates. For more information on how to register on the AFA IMIS Portal, click the link.
Nuts & oil crops products are regulated by the AFA Nuts & Oil Crops Directorate (NOCD) who are charged with the mandate of promoting best practices, regulate the production, processing, marketing, grading, storage, collection, transportation & warehousing of agricultural products. A trader intending to import such products must first register with AFA NOCD who issue registered importers an import licence that is valid for one (1) financial year. For more information on how to obtain an import licence, click on the link.
The regulation of plant & plant materials is under the mandate of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), who is responsible for the assurance of plant health, seed, plant variety, & agro-inputs quality issues in Kenya, to prevent adverse impact on the economy, the environment and human health. Importers of plant & plant materials are required to obtain a Plant Import Permit (PIP) per consignment, which is processed through KEPHIS’ Integrated Export Import Certification System (IEICS). For more information on how to register on IEICS, click the link.
The Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade) is a State Corporation mandated to establish, implement & manage the Trade Facilitation Platform (TFP), and to facilitate trade. The TFP is an online platform that serves as a single entry point for parties involved in international trade & transport logistics to lodge documents electronically, for processing, approvals and to make payments electronically for fees, levies, duties & taxes due to the Government, on imported or exported goods. Training is mandatory for new users of the system prior to registration on the system; this includes new staff from organizations already registered on the TFP. For more information on how to register on the TFP, click the link.
The National Biosafety Authority (NBA) is mandated to exercise general supervision and control over the transfer, handling and use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) with a view to ensuring both safety of human and animal health, as well as provision of an adequate level of protection of the environment. For more information on how to obtain a letter of no objection from NBA, click the link.
The Import Declaration Form (IDF) is a declaration of the customs value of a consignment, and is issued by the Kenya Revenue Authority’s (KRA), Customs Services Department. Importers are required to complete an IDF and sign it to show that they have declared the true & accurate value of the imported goods before they leave the country of origin. IDFs that remain unutilized after three (3) months from the date of issuance will automatically attract the appropriate sanctions. For more information on how to obtain an IDF, click the link.
The import of nuts & oil crops products, including cashew nuts is regulated by AFA Nuts & Oil Crops Directorate (NOCD) who are charged with the mandate of promoting best practices, regulate the production, processing, marketing, grading, storage, collection, transportation & warehousing of agricultural products. The import declaration form levy is issued per consignment of nuts & oil crops products. Prior to application, applicants are required to obtain a licence from the Directorate. For more information on how to obtain the import declaration form levy, click the link.
Import of plant & plant materials is regulated by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) who issue a Plant Import Permit (PIP) per consignment, which ascertains that the consignment has met the requirements outlined on the permit as per the type of species, and ensure that foreign injurious pests, diseases & noxious weeds which are non-existent in Kenya are not introduced or spread when importing plant material into the country. The PIP is valid for six (6) months from the date of issue. For more information on how to obtain the PIP, click the link.
A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) is a certified document issued by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), which assures that commodities have met the required standards & specifications. When a consignment arrives in Kenya without a CoC, indicating that the consignment was inspected at the country of origin, an importer is required to obtain a local CoC. The certificate is only issued after successful inspection & verification of the consignment is carried out by KEBS. For more information on how to obtain a local CoC, click the link.
The Import Standardization Mark (ISM) is a mandatory requirement for all imported products intended for sale in the local market. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) is the competent Authority that regulates issuance of the ISM stickers. Traders are advised to apply for the ISM sticker once the goods have arrived, and the customs entry has been verified and passed by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
The following products are exempted from the ISM sticker; medicines, medical devices, pest control products, seeds (plant materials), printed materials, for example, books, newspaper, magazines etc., precious stones, jewellery etc., illuminated signs and name plates etc., motor vehicles & bikes (covered under a different inspection regime), artificial flowers, walking sticks, antiques etc., products manufactured in an East African Community (EAC) Partner State, and bears a quality mark of that Partner State.