Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has urged countries and investors to seize the opportunity of packaging tea in Kenya, saying the move will cut costs and unlock greater value for both producers and buyers.

Speaking at the North America Tea Conference in South Carolina, Kagwe announced that the government has removed taxes on packaging materials for agricultural products. The move, he said, allows Kenyan exporters to package tea at source according to international market specifications, delivering direct-to-shelf products with assured freshness, traceability, and better returns to farmers.

“By packaging at origin, we eliminate unnecessary costs, improve competitiveness, and strengthen Kenya’s position in the global tea market,” Kagwe told delegates.

Accompanied by Tea Board of Kenya CEO Willy Mutai, KTDA Chair Geoffrey Kirundi and his CEO Wilson Muthaura together with the Kenyan ambassador to the US David Kerich, CS Kagwe also highlighted Kenya’s leadership in global tea production, noting that the country produced 598.47 million kilograms in 2024, a 4.95 percent increase from the previous year. The growth was driven by favorable weather, subsidized fertilizer programs, and expanded processing capacity.

Kagwe further pointed to Kenya’s diversification into Orthodox and specialty teas, with purple tea—developed at the Tea Research Institute—standing out as the only variety of its kind in the world. Celebrated for its health benefits and antioxidant content, purple Orthodox tea fetches three to four times the price of black tea.

“Kenya’s innovation in tea not only secures better earnings for farmers but also places us ahead in meeting shifting global consumer demands,” he said.

The Cabinet Secretary underscored tea’s environmental and cultural importance, describing it as both a livelihood and a crop that conserves ecosystems by preventing soil erosion, supporting biodiversity, and sequestering carbon.

Kagwe concluded by urging the U.S. market to embrace Kenyan black, green, and purple teas, noting that quality would always find a market.