- Kenya has been relying on the top traditional markets to sell most of its tea but COVID 19 has changed the scenario.
- Due to COVID related upheavals, UK, the traditional third-largest buyer of Kenya’s produce has been buying less.
Kenya has been relying on the top traditional markets to sell most of its tea but COVID 19 has changed the scenario. Due to COVID related upheavals, UK, the traditional third-largest buyer of Kenya’s produce has been buying less. Amid stringent restrictions imposed by the UK government, UK imports of Kenyan tea stood at 4.2 million kilos in February this year.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) overtook the United Kingdom (UK) as the third-largest buyer of Kenyan tea in February while the UK dropped to the fourth position. According to the Tea Directorate data, UAE imported 4.22 million kilogrammes of Kenyan tea in February. Total tea exports of Kenya in February stood at 48 million kilos of tea, against 40 million during a similar period in 2020, with Pakistani buying the bulk of 16.8 million kilos.
Other key export destinations in February were Egypt (9.99 million kilogrammes), Sudan (1.96 million kilos), Yemen (1.47 million kilos), Russia (1.29 million kilos), Kazakhstan (0.9 million kilos), Netherlands (0.73 million kilos) and Poland with 0.66 million kilogrammes.
The Directorate is now scouting for new buyers to boost sales. Kenya recorded significant growth in exports to non-traditional markets such as China, Japan, India, Switzerland, Ireland, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Qatar and Canada.Exports also took place to seasonal markets such as Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikstan, Iraq, Vietnam, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Brazil, South Korea and the Czech Republic.
