Tea factories earn Sh1.5 billion at weekly auction

The weekly tea market fetched Sh1.5 billion after the auction of 4.58 million kilogrammes (kgs) from the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA)-managed factories.

Last week, the factories earned Sh1.1 billion from the sale of 425 million kilos.

At the Mombasa Tea Auction, the best-performing factories were Mununga, which offered 62,260 kgs for Sh27.9 million; Kiegoi, 44,956 kgs (Sh19.8 million); Gacharage, 73,380 kgs (Sh32.2 million); and Imenti, 80,680 kgs for Sh34.9 million.

Others were Ngere, 52,120 kgs that netted Sh22.3 million; Rukuriri, 77,708 kgs (Sh32.5 million); Kathangariri, 50,232 kgs (Sh20.2 million); and Ikumbi, 67,760 kgs (Sh27.4 million).

In the west of the Rift, Momul factory led with 64,781 kgs (Sh20.9 million), followed by Tebesonik, 52,680 kgs (Sh16.5 million).

KTDA Board Members Enos Njeru and James Githinji from Embu and Murang’a, respectively, said the farmers are competing in the production of quality tea to satisfy the expanding market.

“Rukuriri, Mungania and Kathangariri factories—the buying centres committees ensure only quality tea is loaded into the collection trucks,” said Njeru.

In the Tea Brokers East Africa Limited (TBEAL) report for the week, the auction offered 9.3 million kilos that attracted 49 international buyers.

The tea was sourced from Kenya (7.62 million kilos), Uganda (1.04 million kilos), Tanzania (18,960 kgs), Rwanda (624,636 kgs) and Burundi (63,161 kgs).

In the buyers’ category, Global Tea bought 25,459 packages; LAB International, 21,580 packages; Chai Trading, 12,720 packages; Mitchell Cotts, 12,680 packages; Mombasa Coffee, 11,800 packages; and Aditya Birla, 10,020 packages, among others.