The Government has banned the export of raw cashewnuts and bixa.

Agriculture minister William Ruto said the Government had set aside funds to process the products to make them competitive in the international market.

"We cannot continue selling our products without value addition to make them fetch higher prices abroad," Mr Ruto said at the Mombasa showground where he was the chief guest on the first day of the annual international trade fair.

The ban comes at a time the local industry has been hit by serious shortages due to export of raw nuts to India by middlemen.

Players in the cashewnut industry have in the past called for a policy and legal framework to help revive the multi-million shilling sub-sector.

They have also complained that little attention is given to the crop, yet it is the second most important crop for Coast Province, after coconut, and could play an important role in fighting poverty.

Kenya produces about 10,000 tonnes of cashewnuts a year, but has the potential to produce more than 30,000 tonnes, says Colonel Joshua Nzioka, the operations director at Kenya Nuts Company.

It is estimated that over 80 percent of cashewnut trees are more than 40 years old and past their economic life.

Bixa, whose export has also been banned, is a plant from which food flavour and colouring is extracted.

Mr Ruto also said that the Government would revamp coconut growing by setting up collection points to protect farmers from exploitation by middlemen.

The minister said the Government would also encourage farmers to plant crops that could be used in the production of bio-diesel "in order to commercialise agriculture".

He named Coast as one of the provinces that was ideal for the growth of such crops, and promised that his ministry would soon start a campaign to popularise them.

More researchers

He complained that farmers lacked adequate information because research institutes were not well developed and promised that more researchers would be employed as part of the extension services to the farmers.

"Farmers lack adequate information on modern farming skills to replicate their produce.

"There is very little information from research institutes on crop husbandry and how to increase food production in the country," said Ruto.

"We have set up new regulations for the purpose of speeding up the development of coconut industry. We are inviting investors to come on board to ensure local brew from coconut plant (mnazi) and other products are packaged for export," said Ruto.

The show has attracted 150 exhibitors this year compared with 120 last year. More than five are foreign exhibitors.