KENYA – Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has invested Sh130 million (US$0.95m) in building a new specialty tea (white and purple varieties) processing factory in Kiambu to diversify and cut reliance on black tea.

The new factory brings the number of specialty factories owned by the agency across the country to 16. The white and purple teas are high-value products that fetch premium prices in the market.

KTDA chairman, David Ichoho, said the new factory will play a key role in complementing the agency’s income. “This is part of our plans to diversify to other high-value tea amid the falling price of black tea in the global market,” said Mr. Ichoho.

At the start of the year, KTDA received backing from the Kenyan Government in procuring and installing orthodox tea processing machines in 13 allied factories in various places in the country.

Mr. Ichoho confirmed the national government pledged to give KSh.800 million (US$6.43m) to assist in the procurement of the machines, which will strengthen the processing of orthodox tea.

Orthodox tea refers to loose-leaf tea produced through rolling machine (traditional) methods, which involves plucking, withering, rolling, oxidation/fermentation, and drying.

KTDA said it had received six-month upfront orders from international buyers as the popularity of the specialty tea continues to grow globally.

It produces about five million kilogrammes from the factories where the special processing lines for this tea have been installed but there is a need to increase production to meet demand.

Tea Board of Kenya technical officer James Marete confirmed that buyers are flocking to Kenya in search of orthodox tea, hence many factories are now factoring into adding another processing line that can make that type of tea.

Kenya is the only country in the world that produces purple tea, but the country is yet to tap its full potential even with a ready market.

Purple tea is harvested from a specific purple tea plant and when brewed this yields a light refreshing and flavory purple liquor, according to KTDA.

Due to the limited volumes produced in the country against high demand globally, the teas are very expensive and fetch premium prices.       

Tea Board of Kenya recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Fujian Starchina International Trade Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of Fuzhou Benny Tea Industries Co., to support the adoption of modern technology and machinery for orthodox tea manufacturing in Kenya.

In February 2023, Kenya Tea Development Agency Sales General Manager Francis Muthamia said there is high demand for orthodox teas not only in China, but also in the Middle East, Continental Europe, and the Commonwealth of Independent States countries like Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

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