According to the East African
Tea Export Auctions report released last week, regional tea exports at the Mombasa Auction have increasing.
All the five East Africa member states including Kenya,
Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Mozambique registered an increase in exports at the Tea Auction held between April 9 and April 10.
The increase, the report says, was occasioned by growth in demand and a rise in crop production. According to the report more than 7.4 million kilogramme bags were sold up from 6.4 million bags sold around the same time last year. This indicates an increase of 8.2 per cent.
The five East African member states including Mozambique participated in the auction out of the 10 countries listed at the auction. The other countries, including DR Congo, Malawi, Madagascar and Ethiopia registered no trade.
George William Ssekitooleko, the Uganda Tea Association executive secretary, said last week the rains have facilitated growth in crop yield across the region.However, despite an increase in supply prices increased to $1.6 (Shs5,808) up from $1.3 (Shs4,700) per kilogramme. Ignatius Byarugaba, the Uganda Tea Development Agency chief executive officer, said last week prices have been stable in the last three-years.
According to the report Kenya exported 5.7 million kilogrammes bags compared to 5.4 million it exported last year. Uganda, the region’s second largest exporter sold 839,824 kilogramme bags up from 747,003 kilogrammes bags exported in the same month last year.
Rwanda, Burundi and Tanznia exported 401,000, 196,632 and 280,496 kilogramme bags up from 86,945. Mozambique, the only country outside East Africa to have posted trade, exported 25,772 kilogramme bags up from 8,408 kilogramme bags indicating a 67 per cent increase,and a slight increase would be good news to the market.
