Kenya’s Mango Paradox: Growing the Fruit but Importing the Juice

Amb – Prof Bitange Ndemo 

Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium & EU | Professor of Entrepreneurship | Technocrat | Columnist

May 10, 2025

Kenya, a country renowned for its abundant mango production, paradoxically remains a net importer of mango juice from countries such as Egypt, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia. This surprising disconnect highlights a fundamental issue in the nation’s agricultural industry: the processing and branding of mango juice. The narrative revolves not around the cultivation of more mangoes, but rather around the inadvertent loss of value and the potential transformation of mango farming and the entire industry through systemic changes.

Kenya must shift its focus from merely increasing production to designing a robust, demand-driven value chain to unlock the full economic potential of mango farming. The existing mango value chain is fragile and riddled with systemic inefficiencies. Mango farms are often scattered smallholder operations, with irregular and imprecise harvests resulting in bruised, overripe, or contaminated fruit before it reaches the market. Aggregation systems rely heavily on brokers prioritising volume over quality, leading to inconsistent supply and variable product standards. The lack of data on the right varieties, crop husbandry, consumption dynamics, and supportive structural change policies exacerbates these problems.

Where the real value resides, processing facilities operate far below their potential due to unpredictable input supplies. Processors cannot invest in modern technologies without reliable throughput or establish long-term contracts with major buyers. Local and export markets increasingly demand standardised, traceable, and hygienic products, yet the current chain struggles to meet these quality and consistency levels. At the heart of the issue lies a need for systemic re-engineering, not just adding new pieces or technologies. The core problem is flow—how mangoes move through the system from farm to consumer—and how decisions are made at each stage. The chain must shift from fragmented, reactionary operations toward demand-driven, quality-oriented processes.

Effective flow management involves aligning harvest timing with processing schedules, organising aggregation around quality and market needs, and employing real-time data to predict supply and demand dynamics. Innovative cold storage solutions and mobile coordination tools can buy critical time, reduce spoilage, and improve negotiation power for farmers and processors alike. However, every January, along the roadsides of key production areas, mangoes overflow from buckets, backseats, and pickup trucks. Some are headed to market, others are already starting to rot under the sun.

Yet, building a functioning mango value chain with public investments in small-scale processing facilities, private sector initiatives, and mobile tools is possible. For example, Makueni County’s public investment in a processing facility shows aggregation and light processing, but success depends on sustained supply coordination and quality control. Private sector initiatives use solar-powered cold rooms and mobile tools for better price realisation and reduced post-harvest losses. However, real economic opportunity requires stronger systemic support.

Kenya’s mango sector is struggling due to a lack of basic conditions for productivity and value capture. There is no demand-supply alignment, leading to processors running below capacity and farmers losing income. Post-harvest investment is not substantial, and finance remains fragmented and high-risk. Information flows are poor, with no real-time visibility into production volumes or quality levels. These issues are symptoms of a misaligned system at every link, from the farm gate to the supermarket shelf. Without predictable supply, investible quality, and accessible finance, even the best efforts will struggle to scale.

Kenya’s mango farming industry faces low margins and unpredictable demand, leaving farmers and processors vulnerable. Value addition can transform the sector by turning raw mangoes into shelf-stable or branded products, increasing their economic life and value. This can create new markets, strengthen margins, create jobs, and promote local brand ownership. However, building value addition requires a strong foundation, including quality-controlled flow, affordable processing technologies, cold storage, logistics, patient finance, and domestic and export market development.

The mango value chain needs a complete redesign to address the unpredictability of mangoes and their distribution. The system fails not because farmers aren’t growing, but because processors cannot rely on when and what they will get. Aggregation, cold storage, and processing plants run low, leading to financial collapse. A true redesign should focus on demand-driven, quality-aligned, and financially viable flow. Aggregation hubs should coordinate harvests, harvest at the right stage, and integrate cold storage into harvest logistics. Production should be based on sound business principles and value addition.

The success of better coordination and production planning depends on the right foundations. Not all farmers are entrepreneurs; subsistence farming is crucial for rural economies. To build value chains, it’s essential to enable those with commercial ambition to grow. Intelligent systems should segment commercial farmers, build business capacity, and design aggregation models.

Fixing flow in the mango value chain is not just about reducing waste; it’s about enabling value creation. Quality-driven flow is crucial for branding, processing, and exports, thereby building an industry that owns the high-value end of the chain.

Ultimately, transforming Kenya’s mango industry demands a collaborative effort from the public and private sectors to build a cohesive and efficient value chain. By implementing innovative solutions, such as cold storage and mobile coordination tools, and focusing on quality-driven processes, stakeholders can reduce waste, ensure consistent supply, and enhance product standards. This shift will bolster the economic potential of mango farming and create new opportunities for job creation and local brand ownership. Emphasising value addition and systemic support will pave the way for a thriving mango sector, positioning Kenya as a leader in both domestic and international markets.

Liesbeth Barker co-wrote the article as part of a joint project on the Productivity Improvement Initiative.