Nearly 92,000 kilogrammes of speciality orthodox tea were put under the hammer in Mombasa as Kenya staged its first-ever auction dedicated to the premium variety.

The inaugural sale, involving 2,925 packages, has been presented as the beginning of a new chapter for one of the country’s most valuable exports.

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe told participants that the government is determined to reposition Kenyan tea in the global market.

“Kenya has an excellent profile for being a lead producer of CTC teas. But it is high time we diversified our markets by increasing our capacity to produce orthodox teas in order to capture the ever-changing global market and raising demand for specialty teas which will enable our farmers to tap into the premium market,” Kagwe stated.

“This diversification will mean more money in their pockets, greater resilience and new revenue streams as consumers.”

“We have decided to diversify markets by increasing capacity to produce orthodox teas in order to capture the ever-changing global market,” Kagwe stated.

According to Kagwe, the country has already cleared 22 processors to handle orthodox production, with the number expected to rise to 42 by 2027.

He set an ambitious target for the industry, saying, “Our target is ambitious but achievable. We aim to grow installed Orthodox capacity from 15 million kilos in 2024 to 200 million kilos by 2030.”

The ministry has also set up a new laboratory in Mombasa to monitor product quality.

The facility will carry out real-time testing, certification, and food-safety checks to strengthen the country’s position in niche markets.

Alongside the introduction of orthodox teas, reforms are being made to Kenya’s wider tea trading system.

Kagwe noted that the Mombasa Tea Auction, the largest in the world for black teas, has started shifting online to attract global buyers.

The transition, he explained, is expected to enhance transparency and secure better earnings for smallholder farmers.

At the launch, Kagwe reassured traders about the ability of producers to meet rising demand.

“Kenyan farmers have the capacity to meet the rising global demand for specialty teas,” he said.

Figures shared during the event show that Kenya produced 7.51 million kilogrammes of orthodox tea in 2024, with exports accounting for 5 million kilogrammes.

Officials believe that the establishment of a dedicated auction, together with the planned capacity expansion, will help farmers tap into premium markets while giving the country’s tea sector a broader and more resilient foundation.