GOVERNMENT BOOST HOPE FOR TEA FARMERS AS MORE EXPORTS IS PROJECTED ON ORTHODOX TEAS

By Erick Wanjala

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has today officially launched the Orthodox Tea Trading Window at the Mombasa Tea Auction, signifying the government’s commitment to enhancing the production and export of specialty teas.

The 2,925 packages, which are equivalent to 91,798 kilos of Orthodox tea is the first of many that will see tea farmers fetch higher prices for their produce as they seek to satisfy the growing global demand for specialty teas.

Speaking during the event, Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the launch of the specialty tea auction window was pivotal to raising Kenya’s profile in the global specialty markets, not only as a producer but also as an exporter.

“Kenya has an excellent profile for being a lead producer of CTC teas. But it is high time we diversified our markets by increasing our capacity to produce orthodox teas in order to capture the ever-changing global market and raising demand for specialty teas which will enable our farmers to tap into the premium market. This diversification will mean more money in their pockets, greater resilience and new revenue streams as consumers,” he said.

The introduction of Orthodox Tea Auction provides farmers and producers with a structured, transparent marketplace that expands their reach beyond traditional buyers.

For 2024, KTDA Orthodox prices ranged between USD 3.40 and USD 4.16 per kilo, with an average of USD 3.70 per kilo. Compare this to the current average of just USD 2.28 per kilo for bulk CTC teas at the Mombasa Auction.

Last year, total orthodox production was 7.51 million kilos, of which 5 million kilos were exported. This was lower than the 12.34 million kilos produced in 2023, largely due to challenges with the Iran market.

However, the CS said the Ministry was in consultations with the Iranian government to restore teas business between the two nations.

The Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) has licensed 22 Orthodox manufacturers and hoped to double this to 42 by 2027.

“Our target is ambitious but achievable. We aim to grow installed Orthodox capacity from 15 million kilos in 2024 to 200 million kilos by 2030,” he added.

TBK has also established a Tea Quality Assurance Laboratory in Mombasa to offer real-time quality advisory, product testing, and food-safety certification.

To increase transparency, improve farmer returns, and ensure Kenya remains globally competitive, the Mombasa Tea Auction is going online internationally.

This digital transformation will allow buyers from across the world to participate in real time, enhance price discovery, reduce cartels, and firmly position Kenya as a modern, efficient tea-trading hub.

-Ends-

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