Kenya pushes regional harmonisation of commodity standards and warehouse receipts

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Kenya is calling on African countries to harmonise commodity standards, trade rules and warehouse receipt systems so farmers and traders can store, finance and sell produce across borders more easily, Trade Principal Secretary Regina Ombam said at a regional forum in Nairobi, The Star reported on October 30, 2026. The Warehouse Receipt System Council also said the Warehouse Receipt System (Amendment) Bill, 2026 has Cabinet approval and is headed to Parliament.

What Kenya wants

“Differences in standards, regulations and warehouse receipt systems can constrain cross-border commodity trade. Harmonising these frameworks will build trust, improve commodity quality assurance and enable warehouse receipts to support trade and access to finance across regional markets,” Ombam said. The forum on structured trading systems brought together Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Namibia, Zambia and Rwanda.

The push sits within the East African Community, COMESA and the African Continental Free Trade Area. Even where trade agreements allow goods to move, different grading rules and trading systems raise costs and slow trade.

How the warehouse receipt system in Kenya works

1. A farmer, cooperative or trader delivers grain or another commodity to a certified warehouse.
2. The produce is graded and weighed, and the warehouse issues a receipt showing the quantity and grade.
3. The receipt can be used as collateral for a bank loan, or sold, without moving the produce.
4. The owner can wait to sell when prices recover after the harvest glut, instead of selling cheaply at harvest time.

The system also improves grading, storage and quality, reducing post-harvest losses and building trust with buyers, lenders and processors.

Recent milestones

• February 25, 2026: launch of the electronic Warehouse Receipt System Central Registry, to manage and verify receipts and make transactions more transparent.
• 2025: the council’s strategic plan and a Warehouse Receipt Financing Manual for lenders.
• Operations manual for warehouse operators to improve consistency and compliance.
• Amendment Bill, 2026: would allow commodities from other countries to be deposited in certified warehouses in Kenya, which could make Kenya a regional hub for commodity storage and financing.

Council chairman Patrick Mbogo said the priority now is to turn these milestones “into tangible benefits for farmers, cooperatives, traders, processors and financial institutions”.

What it means for farmers

For maize and other grain farmers, warehouse receipts can mean better prices and access to credit without pledging land. They work best for farmers who can deliver enough volume, often through cooperatives, and who are near a certified warehouse. Farmers in the main maize-producing counties are the most likely users. Using stored produce as security fits a broader push to make collateral easier to use and move; read about CBK’s planned electronic collateral registry. Better weather data can also help farmers plan harvests; see the plan for 15,000 smart weather stations.

What still has to happen

Regional benefits depend on other countries adopting compatible rules, reliable verification, more certified storage and more participation by banks, traders, warehouse operators and commodity exchanges such as the Kenya National Multi-Commodities Exchange (KOMEX). Digital links between national registries will be needed so a receipt issued in one country can be checked and financed in another.

FAQ

What is the warehouse receipt system in Kenya?

A system that lets farmers store produce in certified warehouses and use the receipt as collateral or sell it.

When was Kenya’s e-WRS registry launched?

February 25, 2026.

What does the Warehouse Receipt System Amendment Bill 2026 do?

It would allow commodities from across borders to be deposited in certified Kenyan warehouses. It has Cabinet approval and goes to Parliament next.

Updated October 31, 2026.

Related: Kenya and Tanzania to recognise each other's food radiation certificates to cut border delays