Kenya and China have initiated bilateral talks aimed at expanding market access for Kenyan tea in China, following President William Ruto’s recent State Visit to the People’s Republic of China
During the visit, President Ruto met with Zhang Chaobin, Chairman of Fuzhou Benny Tea Industries—one of China’s top three companies in tea production and retail—to discuss strategies to increase the presence of Kenyan tea in the Chinese market.
The meeting was also attended by key stakeholders in Kenya’s tea industry, including representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), and the Kenya Tea Board.
ALSO READ: CGC ADENIYI URGES ‘NIGERIA FIRST’ POLICY TO BOOST TRADE AND SECURITY
According to Kenya’s State House, this engagement is part of President Ruto’s broader strategy to promote the growth, packaging, and export of orthodox and specialty teas to international markets. Benny Tea Industries expressed strong interest in sourcing their annual supply of orthodox tea directly from Kenya.
Chairman Zhang also pledged to invest in modern tea processing factories in select tea-growing counties in Kenya and to support value addition initiatives that enhance the quality and marketability of Kenyan orthodox teas.
Kenya is aiming to deepen its trade ties with China by increasing the export of key agricultural commodities such as tea, coffee, avocados, and macadamia nuts to the Chinese market. This initiative is part of a larger agenda to diversify exports and strengthen bilateral economic cooperation between the two count
