This archive report was first published on 11 August 2019.
Published on August 11, 2019, a report by George Omondi revealed that Rwanda's tea is selling at premium rates at the Mombasa Tea Auction, outshining price offers on Kenyan produce.
Kenya, a leading tea exporter in the world, accounts for three quarters of the produce traded at the Mombasa auction. However, in recent months, Rwanda's tea has been gaining popularity among international buyers, who are willing to pay a premium for high-quality tea.
According to William Tindi, an executive at the African Tea Brokers, the quality of tea is the main factor driving the price difference. "Buyers may bid high or low depending on quality," he said.
At the August 6 auction, Rwanda's Gisovu factory attracted a highest bid of Sh550 per kilo for its broken pekoe-1 (BP1) tea, while Kenya's Githongo factory, which is considered the best in Kenya, attracted a bid of Sh428 per kilo for the same grade of tea.
While Kenya's tea has traditionally attracted top prices, the recent trend suggests that Rwanda's tea is gaining ground in the international market. The East African Tea Traders Association offers the regional teas for sale at the Mombasa auction before they are shipped out of the country.
