Highlights:

• 400,000 certified high-yield tea plants distributed to smallholders
• Government allocates $27 million to renovate 19 tea factories
• Tea exports generated $1.4 billion in 2024, up for the fifth consecutive year

Kenya, the world’s top tea exporter and third-largest producer, behind China and India, is stepping up efforts to boost productivity and sustainability in its tea sector.

On July 17, Kipronoh Ronoh Paul, Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, launched a new campaign in Kericho County to distribute 400,000 certified tea plants to smallholder farmers. Developed by the Tea Research Institute (TRI), these varieties are selected for high yields and resistance to leaf pests.

FLAGING OFF MAJOR TEA REVITALIZATION INITIATIVE TO EMPOWER FARMERS AND BOOST EXPORTS

The Tea Research Institute (TRI) remains a vital pillar in sustaining and revolutionizing Kenya’s tea industry. It is uniquely positioned to address the global oversupply of tea, pic.twitter.com/IdelHVkjZN

— Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock Development (@kilimoKE) July 20, 2025

This is a critical step toward improving the resilience and productivity of small-scale growers, the Ministry wrote in a July 20 statement issued on its official website.

The initiative aims to support the replacement of ageing plantations and expand cultivated areas, reinforcing a growth trend observed in recent years. According to the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK), production rose 5% to 598,470 tonnes in 2024—marking five straight years of growth. Over the same period, the cultivated area grew by an average of 2.35% annually, from 212,411 hectares to 227,776 hectares in 2023.

This distribution effort complements broader state-led reforms to enhance sector competitiveness. Earlier this year, the government allocated 3.5 billion shillings (around $27 million) to renovate 19 tea processing factories nationwide.

According to the TBK, Kenya exported 594,500 tonnes of tea in 2024, earning 181.69 billion shillings ($1.4 billion).

This article was initially published in French by Stephanas Assocle

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho