Kenya tea to access Sudanese market as standards addressed
A tea plantation in Kathera, Imenti South. PHOTO | phoebe okall
What you need to know:
- Sudan is a key buyer of Kenya’s tea and last year emerged position six having purchased beverage worthy Sh5 billion.
Kenya tea will continue to access the Sudanese market without hurdles as standards watchdogs from both countries conduct joint research to determine the actual shelf life of the commodity.
Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and Sudan Standards and Metrology Organisation (SSMO) are carrying out a three-year joint scientific research expected to come up with the mutually acceptable expiry date.
“Kenya’s tea will continue accessing Sudan market without restrictions as the three-year study is going on,” Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed told the Business Daily.
In 2015, SSMO revised the shelf-life from three years to one-and-a-half years — a major blow to Kenya’s top foreign earner.
Deputy President William Ruto and Sudan President Omar El Bashir met in Sudan last week where this and the long-standing trade barrier requiring Kenya to seek permit every year for exporting tea were discussed and resolved.
The standoff over the sell-by date threatened tea exports to Sudan, which is among Kenya’s top 10 buyers of the commodity, pushing down the volumes purchased by Khartoum in 2015 by 19 million kilogrammes.
Sudan is a key buyer of Kenya’s tea and last year emerged position six having purchased beverage worthy Sh5 billion.
Kebs started testing tea destined to Sudan in January following the request by Khartoum as one of the conditions for accessing the market.
