- Smallholder tea sales at the Mombasa Tea Auction fell to 128.6 million kg from 138.8 million kg a year earlier.
- Exporters blame the new Ksh 2.28 per kg tea levy for reducing demand from international buyers.
- TBK says the levy will fund tea price stabilisation, research and sector infrastructure.
Smallholder tea factories sold 128,554,359kgs of made tea at the Mombasa Tea Auction between January and June, down from 138,845,002kgs in the same period last year, a new Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) report shows.
Factories west of the Rift Valley sold 49,935,039kgs between sale 1 and sale 27 of the 2025/2026 season, while those east of the Rift Valley auctioned 78,619,320kgs.
This marks a decline from last year, when factories east of the Rift sold 83,581,458kgs and those in the west sold 55,263,544kgs, according to the TBK report.
In Zone 2, comprising Gatanga and Kigumo sub-counties, six factories sold a combined 13,913,857kgs. Ngere led the zone with 3,574,633kgs, followed by Kinoro with 2,807,804kgs.
The TBK report noted that Ngere had sold 3,859,477kgs in the same period last year, reflecting a drop this year.
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In Embu County, the factories of Mungania, Rukuriri and Kathangariri sold a combined 6,713,572kgs, compared to 7,488,969kgs in the previous period. Rukuriri led the trio with 2,609,068kgs, down from 2,713,765kgs, the report added.
Stakeholders say the sector has suffered a major setback in the last two months, after the Ministry of Agriculture introduced a tea levy of Ksh 2.28 per kg, calculated at 0.8 percent of the auction value, before export.
Tea exporters say global buyers of Kenya’s handpicked tea have been pulling back over the added costs from the levy. The tea is exported to Pakistan, Egypt, the UK, the UAE, Russia and Kazakhstan.
Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Holdings Chairman Enos Njeru appreciated farmers across all zones for their dedication to plucking green leaf of the quality recommended by agriculturalists, to ensure standards are not compromised.
Njeru said fertiliser application to tea bushes this year will be done as early as possible, with production expected to rise in the coming years.
“As the KTDA, we are proud that we have been leading in the auction of quality tea into the global markets,” said Njeru, who is also a director at Rukuriri Tea Factory in Embu.
Ngere Factory chairman James Githinji said the factory’s affiliated growers have remained committed to producing quality tea for local and international markets.
“The tea farmers pluck quality green leaf as guided by the agriculture officers, so as not to compromise the quality standards,” said Githinji.
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In the west of the Rift, Zone 9’s nine factories auctioned a combined 17,052,546kgs between sale 1 and sale 26, the highest volume among KTDA-managed factories in the period under review.
Among west of the Rift factories, Momul recorded the best auction prices and sold 2,589,276kgs, up from 2,421,109kgs in the same period last year.
East African Tea Trade Association (EATTA) Managing Director George Omuga said tea from Kenya’s smallholder farmers has kept the Mombasa Tea Market going for years.
“KTDA is a special component, as it continues supporting the auction facility with 70 percent of their teas,” said Omuga.
He added that the Mombasa Tea Auction remains one of the leading global tea markets, drawing buyers from across the world.
TBK CEO Willy Mutai said the new Ksh 2.28 per kg tea levy, equivalent to 0.8 percent of auction value, will help build resources for the price stabilisation fund, tea research, infrastructure and other needs in the sector.
“In the period under review, Kenya’s tea producers, led by KTDA factories and independent estates, auctioned 205,884,003kgs of made tea,” said Mutai.
By our correspondent
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