NAIROBI, Jan 9 (Xinhua) — Kenya’s tea export volumes surged 20.8 percent in the first ten months of 2024, boosted by increased demand in destination markets, the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) said Wednesday.
The TBK said export volumes stood at 500.8 million kg, an increase from 414.5 million kg recorded in the same period of 2023.
The East African nation earned 155 billion Kenyan shillings (about 1.19 billion U.S. dollars) from exports during the first 10 months, a rise from 1.09 billion dollars in a similar period in 2023, said the TBK in a report released in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
“The export earnings were higher on account of higher export volumes and a stable exchange rate,” the TBK said.
The Kenyan shilling exchanged at an average of 129 to the U.S. dollar during the period.
With the country earning an average of 199 million dollars per month from tea, earnings in 2024 are expected to surpass the 1.39 billion dollars earned in 2023, according to the TBK.
Meanwhile, tea production also surged 7 percent in the first 10 months of 2024, boosted by favorable weather conditions. Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Sudan remained the main markets that shipped more tea from Kenya during the period.
Kenya is expanding its market, especially in Asia, with the government recently opening a tea trade center in Fujian Province of China to facilitate distribution in the country.
