Johari Ghani's Kenya visit underscores focus to expand CPO exports to East Africa: MPOC
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia remains committed to strengthening bilateral trade with Kenya and enhancing sustainable palm oil trade ties with East Africa.
Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) said Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani's recent official visit to Kenya underscored Malaysia's focus on expanding exports of high-quality, sustainable palm oil to the region.
Kenya emerged as the largest importer of Malaysian palm oil in Sub-Saharan Africa.
MPOC chief executive officer Belvinder Sron said Kenya serves as a gateway to a wider East African region.
"With rising demand for edible oils, a dynamic manufacturing base, and improving logistics infrastructure, Kenya offers significant long-term opportunities for Malaysian palm oil.
"Over the past five years, our exports to Kenya have more than doubled – from 520,758 tonnes in 2020 to 1.26 million tonnes in 2024 – reflecting Malaysia's position as a trusted supplier of high-quality, sustainable palm oil.
"We are committed to working closely with our Kenyan partners to ensure stable supply and deeper market integration," she said in a statement.
During the visit, Johari held a series of engagements with key Kenyan government officials and industry stakeholders.
Highlight of the trip was the roundtable discussion with major players from Kenya's oils and fats sector chaired by the minister.
Discussions during the roundtable focused on unlocking trade opportunities, addressing market access challenges, and enhancing Kenya's role as a central distribution hub for the region.
It was highlighted that Malaysia is well-positioned to meet East Africa's demand of 3 to 4 million tonnes of palm oil annually, and that Kenya could develop into a key downstream processing hub for re-exports to markets such as the European Union.
The delegation also visited the production facilities of two major Kenyan manufacturers – Golden Africa Kenya Ltd and BIDCO Africa.
""This visit by the minister sends a strong signal of Malaysia's continued commitment to supporting Kenya's economic growth.
"We look forward to further strengthening cooperation with partners across the region," added Sron.
She noted that MPOC's engagement in Africa has increased over the years through trade missions, promotional programmes, and buyer-seller networking sessions.
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