The Tea Industry in Kenya earned KSh 218.79 billion in Exports, this performance propped up by radical reforms in the sector and expansion into new markets.
While presenting the 2025 Kenya’s Tea Industry Performance Report in Embu, Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the sector is back on the saddle despite global supply chain shocks.
According to the Report, the Tea industry in Kenya recorded sterling performance against the backdrop of Global economic shocks, slow expansion of the world, internal conflicts in some of the key markets and a stronger exchange rate of the Kenya Shilling against the US$.
During the year 2025, the total marketed value for tea amounted to KSh. 218.79 Billion. This was an increase of 2% from the marketed value of KSh. 215.21 Billion recorded in 2024, and 11% from KSh 196.97 Billion recorded in 2023.
Out of the total marketed value of KSh 218.79 Billion, KSh. 186.91 Billion was from exports, KSh. 19.13 Billion from local sales and KSh 12.75 Billion from committed stocks.
Increase in the total marketed value for tea was largely due to higher export earnings attributable to increased uptake by key markets.
During the year 2025, the export volume increased by 9.81% (58.30 Million Kgs) from 594.50 Million Kgs recorded during the previous year to 652.80 Million Kgs.
This Increase was attribute to high volumes of unsold stocks carried over from the year 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Owing to high export volume, the export earnings recorded improved performance of 2.87% (KSh. 5.22 Billion) to stand at KSh. 186.91 Billion from KSh. 181.69 Billion recorded in 2024.
However, compared to the year 2024, the export prices and the exchange rate to the US$ were less favourable to the earnings.
The average export unit price of tea was slightly lower in dollar terms at US$ 2.21 per Kg compared to US$ 2.27 in 2024 while the mean exchange rate of the Kenya Shillings to the US$ was lower at 129.50 compared to 134.82.
Tea exports from Kenya reached 100 destinations in 2025
During the year 2025, Kenya tea was shipped to one 100 export destinations compared to 96 in the year 2024.
Pakistan maintained its position as the leading export destination for Kenya tea having imported 235.13 Million Kgs, which accounted for 36% of the total export volume. Exports to Pakistan grew by 13.99% from 206.27 Million Kgs recorded during the previous year. In terms of value, the consignment to Pakistan was worth KSh 73.41 Billion from KSh. 70 Billion during the previous year.
Other key export destinations for Kenya tea were Egypt whose import volume was 90.70 Million Kgs, accounting for 13.9%; UK (56.39 Million Kgs, 8.6%); UAE (32.54 Million Kgs, 5%); Russia (27.44 Million Kgs, 4.2%); Kazakhstan (24.44 Million Kgs, 3.7%); Iran (20.04 Million Kgs, 3.1%); Oman (17.76 Million Kgs, 2.7%); India (16.05 Million Kgs, 2.5%); and Poland (11.41 Million Kgs, 1.7%).
The top ten export destinations, majority of which are traditional markets for Kenya tea accounted for 81.5% of Kenya tea export volume. Compared to the year 2024, more exports were recorded in traditional markets except UK; Russia; India; and Poland, which recorded a drop of between 2% to 6%.
While some of these markets were faced with socioeconomic challenges, key markets such as Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Oman remained strong with Pakistan having recorded the highest increase in export volume by 28.86 Million Kgs (13.99%).
Kazakhstan recorded an increase of 15.92 Million Kgs (186.92%) while Oman recorded an increase of 13.53 Million Kgs (320.14%).
Significant growth recorded in Pakistan was attributed to preference in allocation of forex for importation of tea by Pakistan Authorities due to its importance as an essential food item for the population.
Growth in exports to Kazakhstan was driven by shifting preference of the market to Kenya tea compared to teas from other Origin.
Oman is rapidly growing as an emerging market for Kenya tea following its re-positioning as a regional re-export and logistic hub for the Gulf Region particularly to Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Apart from the traditional markets, other markets that recorded significant growth included Jordan (4.18 Million Kgs, 80.74%); Switzerland (2.45 Million Kgs, 62.45%); Malaysia (2.08 Million Kgs, 54.67%); Ireland (4.23 Million Kgs, 454.39%) and Japan (2.11 Million Kgs, 287.03%).
Over the last two years, Chad, which is a land locked country, has developed as an emerging market for Kenya tea through direct importation following the blockage of trade routes with Sudan.
Prior to the conflict in Sudan, Chad would get its import supplies including tea from Sudan. However, it has now shifted to Nigeria and Cameroon as alternative import transhipment routes.
Just like Chad, South Sudan is also rapidly growing as an emerging market for Kenya tea. Due to market access challenges occasioned by internal conflict in Sudan, there was a dip in tea exports to that market by 13.56%.
Other challenges that affected the markets include continued disruptions along the Red Sea shipping route occasioned by the attacks on vessels transiting through the corridor by Yemen Terrorist group.
This prompted several shipping lines to suspend their operations through the route thus reverting to using the Southern tip of Africa as an alternative transhipment route, whose shipment duration is much longer and costs more from the Port of Mombasa.
However, with a view to consolidate and expand the tea markets, the Tea Board of Kenya in collaboration with the industry stakeholders organized B2B meetings and participated in several trade missions and exhibitions in UAE, Iran, China, USA, Germany, Algeria and Hong Kong.
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