Export competitiveness of selected agricultural products in Kenya

This study was conducted to understand the competitiveness of some agricultural products between Kenya and the East African Community countries. The main objective of this study is to give an overall view and assessment of the level of competitiveness of the Kenyan agricultural sector in the international market. The methods used in this study to determine competitiveness are the Market Share Index, three Vollrath's Relative Trade Advantage Indices, and Balassa's RCA Index. These methods can show Kenya's market share pattern in the EAC and other global markets. The various countries are compared using calculated values and ranked accordingly. Consequently, Kenya dominated the tea and crude materials international market entirely, while most EAC member countries had a strong comparative advantage in coffee. In general, the Kenyan government and the private sector must strengthen high-level investments to boost the agriculture sector and diversify the agricultural export products. Consequently, developing standard agricultural trade policies would benefit all EAC co-member countries, which is also in line with the objectives of the EAC.