Kenya has moved to widen her 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 during the event 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.
Consequently, the President said his government will seek to move the value added tea from five per cent to 50 per cent in the next five years.
Additionally, Ruto announced that Kenya will have conversations with Tunisia, Morocco and all other importing countries.
“I expect the relevant Ministry to initiate a conversation with Cameroon, Tunisia, Morocco and all other major 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 is among six nations chosen to take part in the pilot phase of the AfCFTA Initiative on Guided Trade.
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.
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