Kenya Expands Tea Export Market to West, Central Africa

Kenya has expanded its tea export market to West and Central African trading communities as part of enhancing South-South trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

President William Ruto yesterday flagged off a shipment of tea to Ghana as part of a strategy to expand the market in the West African region. Ghana is among four countries in the West African region that import Kenyan tea.  

The President stated that the first consignment of Kenyan tea is set to leave the country for Ghana under the African Continental Free Trade Area guided trade initiative. 

Ruto officially released five containers of between 20 and 40 foot full of tea to the West African country at  Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) yesterday.

The Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) stated that tea exports to the West and Central African region have been under private treaty.

Data from TBK states that only Nigeria and Ghana are among the top 10 African countries that import Kenya tea.  

For example, in May 2022, Nigeria imported 864,455 kilograms of tea and Ghana bought 19,200kgs in the same period. Johnson Weru, State Department for Trade and Enterprise Development principal secretary explained that the AfCFTA secretariat, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) and the Ministry of Trade are driving the agreement.

Other West and Central African countries that import Kenya tea under private arrangements include Chad, Angola, Burkina, Faso and Cote D’Ivoire.

“Tea trade between the two countries will depend on local production as well as consumption capacity by the recipient country. Recently under the same arrangement, Kenya exported batteries worth Sh10 Million,” said Weru.