Kenya To Start Selling Black Tea To The Chinese Market

Kenya is set to commence the sale of black tea to the Chinese market following the increased demand that the leaf has generated in the vast Chinese market.

According to Kenya’s ambassador-designate to Beijing, Muthoni Gichohi, Kenyan tea is among the favorite varieties in the East Asian country, with the black tea markets expanding as a result of increased consumption. Some of Kenya’s tea factories have started engaging Chinese marketers where they showcase their products through online forums.

On the other hand, the Chinese government in collaboration with its embassies abroad has initiated measures that will see Kenyan farmers export the beverage direct to the Chinese market. The direct export will be a boost to the tea farmers, as it will help in taming cartels who for years have paralyzed the sector.

China and Kenya have established a strong relationship in the trade and economic sectors and the collaboration is expected to expand to the other sectors. Recently, Kenya started the export of avocado into the Chinese market, coming as a boost to the avocado farmers.

China is one of the top tea producers and exporters globally. The country produces 7 types of tea leaves which include green tea, yellow tea, white tea, oolong tea, black tea, dark tea, and floral tea. However, according to reports, Chinese consumers prefer higher quality tea that is organically grown.

At the same time, the increasing income of ordinary citizens in the urban area has prompted many to adopt tea products from other countries.

Moreover, the rise, of new tea drinks such as milk tea in china has further increased the demand for black tea. Black tea accounts for 83.3 percent of the country’s tea imports.

On the other hand, Kenya is the leading exporter of black tea worldwide. The main destinations for Kenya’s tea are Pakistan, Egypt, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and Russia.

In 2021, the country exported 558 million kilograms of beverage, an increase from the 518 million kilograms of tea recorded in the previous year. This saw the export earnings rise 13 percent to 136 billion shillings compared to the year earlier.