Kenya’s exports and imports rose significantly in July as various countries lessened COVID-19 restrictions, boosting trade activities.
The east African nation’s month-on-month imports jumped to 138.8 billion shillings (about 1.26 billion U.S. dollars) in July, up from 1.1 billion dollars in June and 1 billion dollars in May, the latest economic data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) released on Wednesday shows.
Similarly, exports rose to 481 million dollars in July from a low of 398 million in April when COVID-19 had hit many countries, according to KNBS.
The bulk of Kenya’s imports during the period included industrial supplies, fuel and lubricants, machinery and consumer goods.
On the other hand, exports mainly consisted of food and beverages like tea and coffee and industrial supplies.
Export of horticultural produce rose during the month with 10,449 tonnes of cut flowers, 9,658 tonnes of fruits and 4,191 tons of vegetables, according to KNBS.
Kenya in April imposed a raft of travel restrictions especially for countries hard hit by COVID-19, curtailing exports and imports.
