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Kenya Tea Industry Performance Highlights

Kenya Tea Industry Performance Report - 2024 July

Tea production for the month of July, 2024 was lower by 3.87 Million Kgs from 44.69 Million Kgs recorded during the same period of last year to 40.82 Million Kgs. It was also lower compared to 46.16 Million Kgs recorded during the month of June. Decline in production was attributed to low rainfall and generally cool weather conditions experienced in the tea growing regions within the West of Rift Valley and East of Rift Valley, respectively. The month of July marked the peak of the cold season, with areas over the highlands East of the Rift Valley, parts of the highlands West of the Rift Valley, and the Central and South Rift Valley experiencing intermittent cool and cloudy conditions. In the West of Rift Valley, the rainfall amounts recorded was relatively lower compared to the same period of last year especially in Kericho and Bomet, which usually account for the highest production of tea. Tea growing areas of Kericho recorded rainfall of less than 63 mm daily; Bomet less than 30 mm; Nyamira/Kisii 7 to14 mm while Nandi recorded average precipitation of between 8 to 56 mm. Maximum temperature was low at less than 21°C in most parts of the region with the exception of Nandi, which recorded higher temperatures at an average of 29°C. 

Precipitation within the tea growing areas in the East of Rift was slightly lower against the same period of last year and much lower compared to the West of Rift. In the East of Rift, Kiambu recorded an average rainfall of 4 to 29 mm; Muranga/Nyeri/Kirinyaga 7 to 20 mm while Embu/Meru region recorded 3 to 20 mm. The average temperatures within the region was also low and ranged between 13°C to 20°C.

Consequently, production in tea growing areas within the West of Rift Block was significantly lower by 3.58 Million Kgs from 35.13 Million Kgs recorded in July 2023 to 31.55 Million Kgs. The output in the East of Rift Block was however marginally lower  by 289,333 Kgs from 9.55 Million Kgs to 9.27 Million Kgs. Within the West of Rift, the most affected producers were the Independent and Estate factories, respectively  due  to the shift in Greenleaf deliveries by the smallholder farmers to KTDA factories in a bid to build a high quantity in anticipation of relatively better earnings. Consequently, Independent tea producers who majorly source Greenleaf from small-scale farmers recorded a production decline of 2.62 Million Kgs from 12.32 Million Kgs to 9.70 Million Kgs. Similarly, output from the Estate tea factories was lower by 2.46 Million Kgs from 13.65 Million Kgs to 11.18 Million Kgs. However, the Smallholder tea producers under the Management of KTDA recorded significant increase in production by 1.38 Million Kgs from 18.19 Million Kgs recorded during the corresponding month of 2023 to  19.57 Million Kgs.

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