Kenyan Government and Tea Industry Celebrate International Tea Day in Nandi Hills

Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Mithika Linturi, and Cabinet Secretary for ICT, Eliud Owalo, joined forces with the Kenya Tea Development Agency – Holdings Limited and the Tea Board of Kenya to commemorate International Tea Day in Nandi Hills yesterday. The event highlighted the pivotal role of the tea industry in Kenya’s economy and its global significance.

CS Linturi commended the remarkable achievements of the tea industry, citing last year’s earnings of Ksh. 196 billion, with Ksh. 180 billion from exports and Ksh. 16 billion from local sales. He attributed this success to industry efforts and government reforms aimed at enhancing global competitiveness. The government’s focus on promoting value addition and diversification into specialty teas was underscored, with a new five-year market expansion strategy targeting 13 global markets.

The event was attended by notable figures including Nandi County Deputy Governor, Dr. Yulita Mitei, KTDA National Chairman, Enos Njeru, KTDA CEO, Wilson Muthaura, CEO of TBK, Mr. Willy Mutai, and KTDA (H) Board Vice Chairman, Dr. Wesley Koech, among other stakeholders. KTDA Chairman Enoc Njeru urged all Kenyan citizens to embrace the culture of tea consumption, emphasizing its importance to both the economy and social fabric of the nation.

The celebration of International Tea Day served as a platform to recognize the significant contributions of the tea industry to Kenya’s economic growth and to reaffirm the government’s commitment to supporting its continued development.