Egypt now leading buyer of Kenyan tea

A farm worker plucks tea. Kenya exported 42.7 million kilos of tea in the first six months of this year. FILE PHOTO | NATION 

By SIMON CIURI

In Summary

• Tea dominates Kenya’s trade with Egypt, accounting for 96 per cent of the Sh21.4 billion worth of goods that Kenya exported to the northern African nation last year.
• Kenya’s exports to Egypt shrunk last year amid political uncertainty that culminated in a military coup that drove the government of Mohamed Morsy out of power by end of June.
• The improved performance in June pushed up total tea export volume for the first six months of the year to 250 million kilos compared to 246.7 million kilos recorded the same period last year.

The return of political stability in Egypt expanded market outlet for Kenya’s tea in June, giving fresh hopes to farmers despite falling international prices.

 

Industry data indicates that the volume of tea shipped to export markets increased marginally to 42.7 million kilos in June this year compared to 42.3 million kilos in the same period last year.

The figures released by the Tea Board of Kenya Wednesday show that Egypt was the leading export destination in June, having imported 9.9 million kilogrammes or 23 per cent of the volume that Kenya exported.

It was followed by Pakistan, which ordered for 8.6 million kilos, UK (5.3 million kilos), Afghanistan (4.1 million) and Sudan (three million kilos). In total the five top destinations accounted for 73 per cent of Kenya’s tea exports.

Kenya’s exports to Egypt shrunk last year amid political uncertainty that culminated in a military coup that drove the government of Mohamed Morsy out of power by end of June.

READ: Egypt crisis hits Kenya as exports fall by Sh2 billion

In June this year, Egyptians went to the polls voting in President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, ending nearly two years of instability.

Tea dominates Kenya’s trade with Egypt, accounting for 96 per cent of the Sh21.4 billion worth of goods that Kenya exported to the northern African nation last year.

The tea board figures show that exports to Sudan also leapt by 55 per cent in June.

“Sudan recorded higher imports by 55 per cent. Significant growth was also recorded in emerging markets such as Netherlands, Turkey, Chile, Djibouti, and Vietnam,” said Elizabeth Kimenyi, the acting MD at the tea board.

The period, however, saw a slight drop in the number of export destinations for Kenya’s tea to 37 from 39 markets the same period last year.

The improved performance in June pushed up total tea export volume for the first six months of the year to 250 million kilos compared to 246.7 million kilos recorded the same period last year.

For the six months, the emerging markets of UAE, Russia, Yemen, Kazakhstan and Somalia continued to record higher growth and accounted for 27 per cent of the total export volume.

sciuri@ke.nationmedia.com