Tea market sells 8.4 million kgs in the weekly auction
Business
By
Boniface Gikandi
| Jan 09, 2026
Mombasa tea auction opened the year trading with 8,416,373kgs (127,938 packages) of tea offered by four African countries that attracted 48 buyers.
In the market, Kenya presented the largest consignment of 5,756,180kgs drawn from the KTDA-managed factories and the independent tea producers.
The KTDA factories in Kenya earned Sh 899 million, where Mununga, Gathuthi, Imenti, Kathangariri, Gacharage, Kionyo, Rukuriri, Ngere, Kangaita, and Kimunye earned the premium price of between Sh462 and Sh402 per kg of tea at the auction.
In the auction conducted on January 6, Ngere offered 125,625kgs earning Sh 50.7 million, and Rukuriri 65,552 kgs for Sh 26.4 million.
KTDA zone six board member Enos Njeru said the farmers are producing the quality green leaf for the premium prices in the local and international markets.
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“In Embu county, the directors and the factory managers are always alert to ensure the farmers deliver high-quality green leaf for processing,” said Mr Njeru.
The auction report stated that the auction conducted this week, Uganda offered 820,394kgs, Rwanda 593,952 kgs, Burundi 52,82kgs and Tanzania 18,080 kgs.
“Out of the 143,799 kgs packages offered by the brokers, 27,961 packages were listed unsold,” read part of the report by the Tea Brokers East African Limited (TBEAL).
At the end of the year 2025, the report stated that the buyers bought 128,820 packages compared to 139,304 packages in the previous week.
In the buyers category, Global Tea bought 16,720 packages, Chai Trading 13,020 packages, LAB International 10,420 packages, Mitchell Cott 10,200 packages, among others.
In the west of the rift, Momul factory achieved a price of Sh 321 per kg for each of the 90,552kgs offered for sale, Tebesonik at Sh 317 per kg for the 25,242kgs, among others.
Boito factory received the least payment of Sh 181 per kg of the 22,650 kg.