Kenya has expanded its tea export market to West and Central African trading countries as it seeks to cash in on tea demand in the region.
President William Ruto on Wednesday flagged off the first consignment to Accra, Ghana under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) Guided Trade Initiative.
Speaking at the KICC, Ruto said it was time Kenya takes advantage of its good quality tea and brand it.
"There is no reason why people in the African continent buy tea from other markets when we have our own very high quality tea that we can provide to them at the same price," Ruto said.
"We must have a Kenyan branded product in tea. This is so that we can be selling our tea,” he added.
Ruto also stated that the government must move the value added tea from five per cent to 50 per cent in the next five years.
Apart from Ghana, Ruto announced that Kenya will have the same conversations with Tunisia, Morocco and all other tea importing countries.
He said he wanted to give the countries the opportunity to drink the best tea in the world .
"I expect the relevant Ministry to initiate a conversation with Cameroon, Tunisia, Morocco and all other major tea importing countries in the African continent concerning the tea market. When we do business together we become even greater friends. I look forward to working with you,” Ruto said.
The AfCFTA partnership enables nations to conduct trade outside of preexisting trade restrictions.
The AfCFTA secretariat, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), and the Ministry of trade are driving the agreement.
Kenya, one of the six nations chosen to take part in the pilot phase of the AfCFTA Initiative on Guided Trade, shipped its first goods to Ghana in late June in accordance with the terms of the AfCFTA agreement.
The other five nations are Tanzania, Ghana, Rwanda, Egypt, and Cameroon.
The six pilot countries must identify products that can enter the markets of the pilot countries.
