Fresh fish imports in Kenya: data, top suppliers and prices
In 2024, Kenya imported fresh fish worth $2.6 million (801 tonnes). Value fell 44% from 2023. Over 2017-2024 the trade grew strongly, by about 20% a year on average. The peak in this period was 2022, at $10.6 million.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Imports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2.6M | 801 t |
| 2023 | $4.6M | 1.7K t |
| 2022 | $10.6M | 3.1K t |
| 2021 | $4.9M | 1.8K t |
| 2020 | $1.8M | 686 t |
| 2019 | $1.7M | 567 t |
| 2018 | $2.1M | 616 t |
| 2017 | $740K | 96 t |
Where Kenya imports fresh fish from
One supplier dominates: Uganda accounted for 56% of the value.
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Uganda | $1.5M | 56% |
| Norway | $1.1M | 41% |
| Italy | $30K | 1.2% |
| United States | $13K | 0.5% |
| Turkey | $10K | 0.4% |
| Tanzania | $6K | 0.2% |
| Bahrain | $4K | 0.1% |
| Denmark | $3K | 0.1% |
Product types under HS 0302
| 0302.71 | Fresh tilapia | 56% |
| 0302.14 | Fresh Atlantic salmon | 38% |
| 0302.19 | Fresh salmonidae (other) | 2.6% |
| 0302.42 | Fresh anchovies | 1.2% |
| 0302.11 | Fresh trout | 0.9% |
| 0302.85 | Fresh seabream | 0.5% |
| 0302.79 | Fresh Nile perch and snakehead | 0.2% |
| 0302.91 | Fish: fresh or chilled, livers, roes and milt | 0.1% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 0302.
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $3.26 per kg, 47% below the world average of $6.18, which often means bulk or lower-grade product.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Fresh fish exports from Kenya
In 2024, Kenya exported fresh fish worth $1.7 million (302 tonnes). The largest buyer markets were Netherlands (50%), Portugal (22%), Israel (16%). Among the main buyer markets, Spain grew fastest, more than tenfold on the year before.
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $865K | 50% |
| Portugal | $378K | 22% |
| Israel | $272K | 16% |
| Italy | $64K | 3.7% |
| Spain | $58K | 3.3% |
| United States | $29K | 1.6% |
| France | $16K | 0.9% |
| United Kingdom | $15K | 0.9% |
| Belgium | $15K | 0.9% |
| Hong Kong | $11K | 0.6% |
Who is behind these numbers in Kenya?
The shipment records behind Kenya fresh fish imports (HS 0302): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
Shipment records are in the platform
Tell us what you trade and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 0302: Fish; fresh or chilled, excluding fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304.
Common questions
What is the value of fresh fish imported by Kenya?
Kenya imported fresh fish worth $2.6 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 801 tonnes. That ranks it 97th of 208 countries worldwide, with 0% of world imports. The value was down 44% on 2023.
Which countries supply fresh fish to Kenya?
Uganda was the largest supplier with 56% of the value ($1.5 million), followed by Norway (41%) and Italy (1%). The top three together account for 99%, out of 8 supplier countries in total. Italy grew fastest among the top ten, up 702% on the year.
What is the average import price of fresh fish per kg?
The average declared import value was about $3.26 per kg in 2024, 47% below the world average of $6.18 per kg. Because it averages all grades and sizes, treat the figure as a market benchmark, not a price offer.
How have imports of fresh fish to Kenya changed since 2017?
Imports went from $740 thousand in 2017 to $2.6 million in 2024, an increase of 253%. The peak was 2022 at $10.6 million. Over 8 years the average was $3.6 million a year.
Does Kenya also export fresh fish?
Yes. Kenya exported $1.7 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to the Netherlands, Portugal and Israel. On balance Kenya is a net importer of this product, by about $863 thousand a year.
What is the HS code for fresh fish?
The HS code for fresh fish is heading 0302. In Kenya the largest six-digit codes were 0302.71 (56% of the value) and 0302.14 (38%).
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
The totals here are public statistics; the company-level detail sits in EximDataX, which has a direct customs feed for Kenya. Tell us your product to see it live.
Same product, other countries
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
Everything we show you comes from official customs filings — records, not claims. 30 minutes. Your shipment. Your HS code. Real platform. If you don’t see something new about your market by the end of the call, we walk away. No follow-ups.