Kenya’s Supply of Pre-Cooked Loins Shows YoYo-Effectff

The 2007 increasing statistics on Kenya’s exports of pre-cooked tuna loins to the European Union (EU) contribute to a “yo-yo effect”. During the last four years, Kenyan supplies to the EU have had its ups and downs. Latest figures show a recovering trend.

Kenya delivered 7.893 M/T of frozen pre-cooked tuna loins to the EU over 2007, which represented a 13% increase compared to the 6.963 M/T supplied the year before.

Kenya had a 9% share of the European market of pre-cooked tuna loins last year, 1% more compared to 2006, placing Kenya in fourth position as key supplier of this product to the EU, after Ecuador, El Salvador and Thailand.

The sole destination of Kenya’s 2007 supplies within the EU was Italy. In previous years Kenya had also delivered pre-cooked tuna loins to France and

Kenya supplied this product at an average price of US$ 5.67. This amount was 24% more than the average EU cost of frozen pre-cooked tuna loins in 2007 which was US$ 4.96.

During the second half of 2007 Kenya suffered from serious tribal and political turmoil, which has a detremental effect on its economy.