NAIROBI: Kenya’s tea production for the month of April stood at 31.4 million kilograms, which was 12 percent lower compared to 35.8 million kilograms recorded during the corresponding month of 2010.
The Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) said lower production compared to the same period of last year was largely attributed to depressed and poorly distributed rainfall occasioned by La Nina weather phenomenon as opposed to higher rainfall amounts that is normally experienced during the month of April.
“Going by the Kenya tea industry production performance for the first four months of the year, production for the year is likely to be lower by 10 percent (39 million kgs) from 399 million kilograms recorded last year to 360 million kilograms,” the board’ s Managing Director Sicily Kariuki said in a statement on Monday.
Compared to the month of April 2010, tea growing areas such as West of Rift recorded a lower output by 13.9 percent (2.8 million Kgs) from 20.4 million kilograms to 17.5 million kilograms.
Kariuki said the smallholder sub-sector, which has a wider coverage within the East of Rift recorded a production decline of 7.7 percent (1.6 million Kgs) from 21.4 million kilograms to 19.7 million kilograms.
Kariuki said cumulative tea production for the period January to April stood at 116.6 million kilograms, which was lower by 20.9 percent (30.9 million Kgs) compared to the output of 147.5 million kilograms recorded during the first four months of 2010.
Kariuki attributed the decline to hot and dry weather conditions experienced in the months of January to March and depressed rainfall in April.
During the month of April 2011, the total export volume stood at 32.1 million kilograms, which was marginally higher by 1 percent compared to 31.8 million kilograms recorded in the same period of last year.
Cumulative export volume for January-April was also lower at 139.6 million kilograms against 148.8 million kilograms recorded during the first four months of 2010.
During the month of April, Kenya tea was shipped to 37 export destinations withPakistan leading export destination for Kenyan tea, having imported 6.4 million kilograms of tea which accounted for 20 percent of Kenya tea export volume.
Other key export destinations for Kenyan tea were Afghanistan which imported 5.8 million kilograms, Egypt (5.1 million Kgs),Britain (4.5 million Kgs), and UAE (1.8 million Kgs).
The five export destinations accounted for 74 percent of Kenya tea export volume.
Among the five export destinations, thePakistan market recorded the highest growth for Kenya tea exports at 70 percent compared to the same period of last year, followed by Afghanistan (39 percent) and UAE (36 percent).
Other key and emerging markets that imported higher volume of tea from Kenyainclude Yemen (54 percent), Kazakhstan(63 percent), Poland (186 percent), andIran (245 percent).
However, due to fluctuation in seasonal demand, Egypt and Britain recorded a drop of 34 percent and 15 percent respectively while Sudan imported less by 54 percent compared to the same period of last year.
The local tea consumption for the month of April stood at 1.78 million kilograms, which was 19 percent higher compared to 1.49 million kilograms recorded the same period of last year. (Xinhua)
source - www.dailymirror.lk
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