Sumitomo : to Sell and Distribute Vaccines and Other Veterinary Medicines in Kenya

Sumitomo Corporation (Sumitomo) will soon begin sales and distribution of animal health medicines manufactured by Shandong Sinder Technology of China (Sinder), to ranchers and farmers in Kenya.
Sumitomo Corporation China Group, recently concluded a Distributorship Agreement in Kenya to market vaccines and other animal health medications made by Sinder, one of China's leading companies in animal drug manufacturing, and which Sumitomo Corporation has a 25% share of as a strategic partner. As the first company to manufacture and sell Avian Influenza vaccines in China, Sinder also produces and sells a variety of veterinary drugs, vaccines, biological products, feed additives, etc.
As Economies grow in Africa and there is an expansion of the 'Middle-Class' population with more urbanization and improved living standards, there is more animal meat being consumed and a greater need to protect against diseases. Following such a trend, the demand of veterinary drugs is expected to increase from the current estimated market size of USD40-50Mil/annum. In Kenya, it is predicted that the market size of veterinary drugs will be doubled in the coming 5 years. Through its alliances with Japanese animal health enterprises and Sinder, Sumitomo will provide farmers in Kenya with new access to high-quality veterinary drugs.
The current veterinary drugs used in Africa are mainly antibiotic type drugs which are typically prescribed after the disease occurred. However, as meat consumption increases there is a growing need for preventative medicines, such as animal vaccines to protect humans from possible diseases that can be transmitted through animal meats or through contact with animals, such as the case with the Avian Influenza epidemic.

Sumitomo's distributorship agreement is a big step toward contributing to the prevention of animal diseases occurring in developing nations in Africa, and providing safety to the increasing market of animal meats. As commercial livestock herds multiply throughout Africa, it is important to provide ranchers and farmers easy access to high-quality veterinary drugs to help protect against contraction and spread of diseases.
In the future, Sumitomo Corporation foresees expanding its animal health sales and distribution network to other East African countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and others.