KENYA – Kenya’s President William Ruto has unveiled plans for the government to collaborate with a UK-based company to create a distinct Kenyan tea brand for international markets.
This initiative, disclosed during a meeting with the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), aims to enhance the country’s earnings from tea exports by elevating its visibility and market value.
President Ruto emphasized the need for Kenya to establish its unique tea brand, complete with a mark of origin, to distinguish its product in the global marketplace.
Despite being the world’s largest tea producer, Kenya has yet to capitalize on its position due to the absence of a nationally recognized brand, resulting in lower prices compared to smaller tea-producing nations.
During the meeting, President Ruto urged tea factory leaders to collaborate on developing common user facilities and set a target for exporting at least 60% of processed and branded tea within three to five years.
He noted, “We cannot continue exporting our tea in sacks. In three years, we must export 60 percent of value-added and branded tea. KTDA and the Tea Board of Kenya must work together to brand our tea.”
Acknowledging the disparity between Kenya’s tea production volume and its revenue, President Ruto stressed the imperative of creating a high-value tea brand to command premium prices.
To support this endeavor, he highlighted; “Last year, we did away with taxes on packaging materials for tea. We, therefore, have to expand common user facilities and add value to our tea.”
Addressing concerns raised by tea industry leaders, President Ruto pledged to operationalize the Tea Tribunal within three months and ensure fair compensation for tea factories supplying hydroelectric power to Kenya Power and Lighting Company.
He also announced plans for collaboration between the Kenya Forest Service and KTDA, enabling tea factories to participate in the national tree-planting program and sustainably utilize forest resources.
President Ruto also directed KTDA to reduce the management fee charged to farmers from 2.5 percent to 1.5 percent and emphasized the importance of conducting free and fair elections within the organization.
He assured tea stakeholders of the government’s impartial stance and committed to monitoring progress on the discussed issues within a three-month timeframe.
“We will meet here in three months to assess the progress in resolving all the issues you have raised,” he told the tea leaders.
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