Nairobi, April 22 -- Kenyan exporters ramped up apparel exports to the United States in the six months to the expiry of duty free access, blunting the short-term impact of the 10 percent tariff introduced by President Donald Trump.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has captured an increase in apparel exports from Kenya to the US between April and September last year, cushioning the firms in the four months of the stay of the tariffs.

President Trump in April last year announced the imposition of tariffs on 180 countries including Kenya, with duty taking effect at end of September when the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) expired.

In February, Washington gave a one-year extension of its preferential trade programme for Afric...