The Mombasa Tea Auction, East Africa’s leading tea trading platform, opened the year with robust volumes after selling 8,416,373 kilograms (127,938 packages) of tea in its weekly auction, attracting 48 international buyers.
Kenya presented the largest share of the tea on offer with 5,756,180 kgs supplied by KTDA‑managed factories and independent producers, underscoring the country’s continued role as a dominant supplier in the regional tea trade.
The tea auction, conducted earlier this week, also saw consignments from Uganda (820,394 kgs), Rwanda (593,952 kgs), Burundi (52,828 kgs) and Tanzania (18,080 kgs), demonstrating the East African region’s collective participation in the market.
Among Kenyan contributors, factories such as Ngere and Rukuriri achieved significant turnover, with Ngere’s 125,625 kgs earning Sh50.7 million and Rukuriri’s 65,552 kgs fetching Sh26.4 million, reflecting solid demand and competitive bidding at the sale.
KTDA Zone Six board member Enos Njeru said farmers are increasingly focused on producing quality green leaf, which has helped maintain interest from local and global buyers, particularly in Embu and other key tea‑growing counties.
Despite the strong turnout in volumes, some packages remained unsold this week, according to the auction report, indicating that while demand is healthy, pricing and quality remain crucial determinants of purchase decisions.
The weekly auction remains a critical barometer of Kenya’s tea sector performance, influencing earnings for smallholder farmers, factory operations and export earnings as the country seeks to strengthen its position in the global tea market.
By Amos
