Lesotho will start buying tea directly from Kenya. This was revealed during a three-day visit to Kenya by a delegation from the South African nation.
Lesotho intends to start growing its own tea, a move that is aimed at creating employment for its people.
Speaking at the Ngorongo Tea Factory in Kiambu, Lesotho’s Minister for Agriculture, Simon Litsane, said his country would collaborate with the Kenyan government in the purchase of tea.
“Lesotho doesn’t grow tea. We are amazed at what you Kenyans are doing. Our government is really interested in purchasing your black tea directly,” said Mr Litsane.
“We have also discussed an open trading window where we can export processed and bulk tea to the Lesotho market,” said Ngorongo Tea Factory General Manager, George Mugo.
Currently, Lesotho relies on tea from South Africa which is mainly herbal.
Kenya grows tea as one of its major cash crops. Kenyan tea has been a leading 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.
In 2018, Kenya was the world’s largest exporter and producer of black tea.
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