The Government is involved in initiatives to seek an extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), Trade and Industry Minister Dr Mukhisa Kituyi has disclosed.

Kituyi was responding a request for a ministerial statement by Kaiti MP Gideon Ndambuki (Kanu). The member has asked what the Government was doing to beat the September 31 deadline.

Ndambuki said Kenya was threatened with the risk of being struck off from Agoa if it failed to meet the September 31 deadline.

The legislator also sought to have the House informed on what the Government was doing to ensure Kenya was not struck off.

In response Kituyi said the initiative to extend the deadline was started last December and that Kenyans were involved with a group of ministers for pushing of the extension from 2008 to 2015.

Kituyi said when he recently met the American trade representative in Mombasa he did indicate to him about the urgency and the need to fast track the matter.

He told the House the trade representative had since appeared before Congress over the matter.

He said he was informed last week that some Congressmen in the committee of ways and means had agreed to the extension.

He said it was his hope that a bill to extend the deadline scheduled for this summer would be passed by Congress.

Ndambuki also asked what eligibility measures were needed to be put in place for the country to qualify as there was nothing happening on the ground.

He pointed out that Kenya was the number one market for the European Union, especially in agriculture.

Muhoroni MP Ayiecho Olweny (Narc) sought to know whether there were any measures to have the country produce cotton.

Kitutu Chache MP Jimmy Angwenyi (Ford P) asked how much funds had been set aside for cotton farmers.

Kituyi said Kenya was the first country out of the 39 to comply with the Agoa conditions.

Her said it was for this reason that he closed down a Chinese company in Mombasa that was producing jeans and labelling them 'made in Kenya' then exporting the same to the United States under Agoa.

Kituyi, who was applauded by members, further said he also pushed for the deportation of the Chinese who were behind the matter.

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