Tea production in Kenya

Tea is a major cash crop that is grown in Kenya. Kenya tea has been the leading major foreign exchange earner for the country.

Most tea produced in Kenya is black tea, with green tea, yellow tea, and white tea produced on order by major tea producers.

Tea was first introduced in Kenya in 1903 by GWL Caine and was planted in present-day Limuru. Commercialisation of tea started in 1924 by Malcolm Fyers Bell, who was sent out by Brooke Bonds to start the first commercial estates. Since then the nation has become a major producer of black tea. Currently Kenya is ranked first before China and India in tea production. Kenyan tea is also one of the top foreign exchange earners, alongside tourism, horticulture, and Kenyan coffee.

The task of managing the small scale holder lies with the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA). Currently the KTDA has 66 tea factories serving over 500,000 small scale farmers cultivating over 100,000 ha. Of all tea produced in Kenya, KTDA members produce over 60% while the rest is produced by large scale producers.

In most tea growing regions labour is manual. Tea plucking machines are currently being used by multinationals.

Tea production has been reported to make use of child labor according to the U.S. Department of Labor's report on the worst forms of child labor in 2013 and more recently according to the Department's List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor.

Kenya's tea growing regions are endowed with ideal climate; tropical, volcanic red soils; well distributed rainfall ranging between 1200 mm to 1400mm per annum; long sunny days are some of the climatic features of the Tea growing regions. Tea is planted in an area of over 157,720 hectares, with production of about 345,817 metric tonnes of made tea. Over 325,533 metric tonnes exported. Vegetative propagation of high-yielding, well-adapted clones. Over 49 varieties so far developed by the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK). No chemicals are used. Fertilizers are regularly added to replenish soil nutrients.

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Wikipedia