Tea is a major cash crop that is grown in Kenya. Kenyan tea has been the leading major foreign exchange earner for the country.
Most tea produced in Kenya is black tea, with green tea, yellow tea, and white tea produced on order by major tea producers.
Speaking at the Ngorogo Tea Factory, in Kiambu, Minister for Agriculture and Food Security from Lesotho said they would collaborate with management at Ngorongo tea and the Ministry of Agriculture in Kenya in the tea business.
His counterpart in the Ministry of Trade and other senior members of the Kingdom of Lesotho government accompanied the minister who led the delegation.
“Lesotho doesn’t grow tea we are amazed at what you Kenyans are doing, our government is interested in introducing black tea in our market and we are ready to learn more”, he said.
He said they would in the future invite the management at Ngorongo to test the soil in Lesotho if it is viable for tea plantation. Also, he said that the investment would create jobs for the youth.
Gorongo Tea Factory General Manager George Mugo said they were excited that Lesotho government would be considering introducing Kenyan tea trade directly from the factory to Lesotho market without any intermediaries.
“In collaboration with the Kenya intercontinental free trade market, we have discussed an open trading window where we can export both tea in bulk in value-added form”, He said.
The tea will reach Lesotho while very fresh and the country will be able to sell it.
Lesotho relies on tea from South Africa, which consists more of herbal tea.
Originally published by Standard Media!