The first consignment of Kenyan tea is set to be shipped to China by the end of this month, following the government’s launch of the China-Kenya Tea Trade Centre in Fujian Province this past May. This initiative aims to facilitate the distribution of Kenyan tea to the Asian market.
According to the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK), it is anticipated that one million kilogrammes of Orthodox teas will be shipped to China by the end of the year under this new arrangement. In a related development, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with China’s Benny Tea on technology transfer and marketing.
“All the teas manufactured under this arrangement will have guaranteed market access to China through Benny Tea,” stated TBK.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, present at the MOU signing, expressed optimism about the venture’s impact on Kenya’s tea market share in China. “The smallholder farmer is set to benefit from the cooperation as Benny Tea will support KTDA and independent tea producer factories with equipment and technology transfer,” Linturi said.
Additionally, TBK revealed plans to establish warehousing facilities for value-added tea in target markets, including Ghana, DRC Congo, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to streamline distribution. Logistical support, such as concessionary airfreight cargo charges, will also be provided for value-added tea exports to key trading hubs in Africa and North America, with similar initiatives being pursued in Russia and Iran.
Next week, KTDA will unveil Chai Gold as a national brand for the international market, aligning with President William Ruto’s directive to brand Kenyan tea to drive value addition.
The TBK attributes the success of these initiatives to government efforts aimed at revitalising the tea sector. As a result, tea export earnings from January to May have increased by 28 percent, reaching Sh88.28 billion compared to Sh68.73 billion in the same period last year.
“By the end of the year, we expect export earnings to rise from Sh180.57 billion last year to Sh211.27 billion, an increase of Sh30.70 billion,” the statement added.
Projections also indicate that the earnings of smallholder tea farmers will rise to a minimum of Sh64 per kilo of green leaf, up from Sh59.02, by the year’s end.
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