A tea picker in Kirinyaga County. [Photo/Nation]
Tea production dropped in September by 12 per cent due to severe drought witnessed early in the year.
Monthly data from Tea Directorate indicate the volumes dropped to 303 million kilogrammes (kg) between January and September from 346 million in the corresponding period last year.
“The decline is attributed to unfavorable weather conditions that was experienced during the first quarter of the year,” says the report.
The decline affected export volumes with quantities sold through the Mombasa auction dropping by 17 per cent, to 320 million kgs. from 387 million kgs between January and September 2016.
Reduced supplies helped to boost price of tea in the international markets.
In the international markets, Kenya sells over 90 per cent of its beverage, making it the leading exporter of the commodity.
“Improved prices were attributable to good demand against lower supply of tea in the first quarter of the year when the country witnessed a decline in production,” says the report.