Kenya’s tea export earnings soared by 18% to 102.4 billion shillings (approximately 795 million U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2024, driven by increased shipments to key markets.
The country exported 320,563 metric tons of tea during this period, compared to 270,287 metric tons in the same period of 2023.
March 2024 witnessed the highest tea exports at 59,599 metric tons, while June 2024 recorded the lowest at 42,894 metric tons.
Kenya’s average monthly tea earnings for the first half of 2024 were 132 million dollars.
Tea production declined from 54,500 metric tons in May 2024 to 46,200 metric tons in June 2024. The average auction price for Kenyan tea decreased slightly from USD 2.18 per kilogram in May 2024 to USD 2.14 in June 2024.
The Kenya Tea Board attributed the rise in shipments to a recovery in key markets following the global economic downturn caused by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Kenya’s primary tea markets include Pakistan, Egypt, Britain, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, with emerging markets like Chad, South Sudan, Kyrgyzstan, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Morocco, Angola, and Tajikistan also contributing to growth.
The country is expanding its market reach by entering China, where it recently established a trade centre.
Tea remains one of Kenya’s top foreign exchange earners, alongside tourism and horticulture. In 2023, Kenya earned 1.4 billion dollars from tea exports.
