Kenya Tea Industry Performance Report - 2024 November

Tea production for the month of November 2024 dropped by 3.49 Million Kgs from 50.90 Million Kgs recorded during the same period of 2023 to 47.41 Million Kgs. Lower production was attributed to generally low and poorly distributed rainfall experienced within the country. Though the month of marks the pick of the “Short-rains” season, the amount of rainfall recorded in most parts of the tea growing areas was depressed (near-to-below average precipitation of the amounts usually recorded in the month of November). Unlike low and poorly distributed rainfall experienced in the month of October and November 2024, the “Short-rains” season in 2023 recorded moderate and well distributed precipitation characterized by heavy storms and warmer temperatures, which was associated with El Niño weather conditions.

During the first three weeks of November 2024, most of the tea growing areas within the West of Rift and East of Rift experienced low to moderate rainfall of between 13mm to 55 mm daily with the exception of Embu/Meru catchment, which recorded higher precipitation of ranging from 68 to 145 mm daily. Consequently, production in tea growing areas within the East of Rift was significantly lower by 2.63 Million Kgs from 16.54 Million Kgs recorded in the month of November 2023 to 13.90 Million Kgs. Similarly, output within the West of Rift was lower by 0.85 Million Kgs from 34.36 Million Kgs to 33.50 Million Kgs.

Across the tea manufacturers, the highest drop in production was recorded mostly by the smallholder tea factories managed by KTDA due to their wider coverage in areas that experienced low rainfall conditions within the East of Rift, mostly in Kiambu, and Muranga/Nyeri/Kirinyaga counties. Consequently, production by the smallholder tea factories dropped by 2.16 Million Kgs from 25.01 Million Kgs to 22.85 Million Kgs. Similarly, production by the Estate factories dropped by 1 Million Kgs from 12.80 Million Kgs to 11.79 Million Kgs since they are more widely spread in areas that experienced low rainfall conditions within the West of Rift, mostly in Nandi, Bomet and Kisii/Nyamira counties. Notably, decrease in production by factories in the category of Independent tea producers and Nyayo T. Zones, respectively was insignificant.

Cumulatively up to the month of November, production for the year 2024 was higher by 5.18% (26.72 Million Kgs) from 515.92 Million Kgs recorded during the first eleven months of 2023 to 542.64 Million Kgs. Higher production was due to favourable weather recorded during the first four months of the year, which recorded higher rainfall owing to El-Nino weather phenomenon.