Guo Haiyan, Chinese ambassador to Kenya, said the Mombasa-Nairobi-Naivasha SGR, a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative, has unlocked growth in the rural hinterland through enhanced connectivity.

　　Guo said China's zero-tariff policy has expanded the market in China for Kenyan avocados, Ugandan coffee, Rwandan chilli and Congolese poria.

　　Official statistics indicate that China imported 3,762,776 kilograms of avocados from Kenya worth 43,157,326 yuan (about 6.1 million dollars) in May-August 2026, up 63.22 percent year on year in value, compared with a 59.65 percent increase in the same period of 2025.

　　For roasted coffee, China imported 1,707,818 kilograms from Kenya worth 98,314,108 yuan (about 13.8 million dollars) over the four months, up 139.66 percent year on year, against a 97.33 percent rise a year earlier.

　　Philip Mainga, managing director of Kenya Railways Corporation, said Chinese-built transport and logistics infrastructure, including the SGR and the Naivasha dry port, has encouraged investors to set up agro-processing factories to add value to fresh produce destined for overseas markets.

　　"Because of the SGR and inland container depot, investors have set up export processing zones to add value to farm produce, boosting our export competitiveness, growth and regional integration," Mainga said.