Rwanda’s tea continues to fetch higher prices at the Mombasa auction, with a kilo going at $2.83 (326 shillings) in the latest sale against Kenya’s $2.53 (292 shillings), Tanzania $1.51 (174 shillings), and Uganda $1.43 (165 shillings) for the same quantity respectively.
On average, all the tea at the auction fetched $2.40 (277 shillings) per kilo during the sale, which was an increase from $2.38 (274 shillings) recorded in the previous sale.
These teas comprise the ones that are processed by small-scale farmers affiliated with Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), multinational firms, and five other regional countries that sell their beverages through the Mombasa auction.
All the teas from regional countries are marketed at the Mombasa auction by the East Africa Tea Traders Association before they are shipped out of the country for overseas markets.
The value of Rwandan tea has been maintaining the lead for many years at the auction. This has been attributed to high demand for the beverage. According to brokers at the auction, Rwanda produces some of the best teas regionally that results from best agronomical practices that they have invested in.
Similarly, in order to encourage local and regional consumption, Rwanda has put more emphasis on value-added tea with an introduction of single estate tea product in Sorwathe Tea Factory.
Tea production in Kenya has contributed significantly to the Kenyan economy. The country is the third-largest exporter of tea in the world after Sri Lanka and China. Tea industry contributes around 4 percent of the country’s gross domestic product GDP and 26 percent of the country’s exports earning.
It is mainly grown in several districts which include Kericho, Bomet, Nandi, Kiambu, Thika, Maragua, Murang’a, Sotik, Kisii, Nyamira, Nyambene, Meru, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Embu, Kakamega, Nakuru and Trans-Nzoia, where the crop enjoys 80% favorable weather patterns.
Annually, the country produces over 450 million Kgs of tea, which earn the country over 120 Billion shillings in export earnings, and 22.0 Billion shillings on local sales. The industry supports about 5.0 million people directly and indirectly while an estimated 650,000 tea growers depend on tea making the industry one of the leading sources of livelihood in the country.