🇰🇪 Kenya's Aggressive US$ 2 Bn Tea Export Plan by 2027 📈

• Kenyan President William Ruto announced a national plan to more than triple the nation's tea export revenue, targeting over US$ 2 Billion by 2027, up from a recent total of US$ 1.4 Billion. • Strategic Shift: The core strategy is a move away from bulk exports towards processing and value-addition, focusing on premium-priced orthodox and whole-leaf teas. Current orthodox production is 13 million kg annually. • Market Access: China has lifted all import tariffs on Kenyan tea (and coffee), providing duty-free access to a consumer market of 1.4 billion people. Kenya intends to deepen cooperation, including bringing Chinese expertise to facilitate local processing and retain value and jobs. • Growth & Investment: • Recent total tea exports grew from US$ 1.06 Billion to US$ 1.4 Billion. • The average price per kilo of green leaf has increased from $ 0.39 in 2022 to $ 0.49 today. • The government allocated 3.7 Billion Kenyan Shillings (~US$ 28 Million) to modernize outdated tea factories. • Tax waivers on packaging materials for agricultural exports, including tea, will also be implemented to lower production costs.