Kenya targets Morocco's tea market to boost exports

Kenya is seeking to establish direct trade links with Morocco to increase its tea exports.

This follows a meeting between Willy Mutai, CEO of the Tea Board of Kenya, and an official from TMAN Distribution in Morocco.

During the discussions, Kenya expressed its interest in expanding tea exports to Morocco, as part of a broader strategy to open new markets for smallholder tea farmers.

The two nations agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing trade cooperation and fostering mutually beneficial market access.

Morocco consistently ranks among the top tea-consuming countries in the world, with each person consuming an average of 1.22 kg of tea annually.

In 2023 alone, the country imported over $182 million (Sh 23.5 billion) worth of tea, mainly green "gunpowder" tea used in its renowned Moroccan mint tea.

"While Kenya exported about 74 million kilos of tea to Morocco in 2024, the real opportunity lies in product adaptation. Morocco's taste leans heavily towards green teas and blends, whereas Kenya's traditional export strength is black CTC tea.

Bridging this gap through innovation, such as developing green, orthodox, or blended teas, could unlock a significant new market for Kenyan producers," Mutai said.

The initiative aims to increase and diversify Kenya's tea exports beyond traditional markets.

Currently, nearly 85% of Kenya's annual tea exports are destined for just ten countries: Pakistan, Egypt, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Russia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and Saudi Arabia.