An Asian nation has beaten Uganda to emerge as Kenya’s top trader for the second time in a row

The Asian nation of Pakistan defied the continued fall in the international tea prices and overtook Kenya’s neighbour, Uganda, to remain as Kenya’s number one tea buyer for the second time in as many years.
Pakistan bought Kenyan tea leaves worth Sh22.64 billion between January and April, a 17 per cent growth over the Sh19.34 billion the same period last year.

An Asian nation has beaten an African nation to emerged as Kenya’s number one trader for the second time in a row.

The Asian nation of Pakistan defied the continued fall in the international tea prices and overtook Kenya’s neighbour, Uganda, to remain as Kenya’s number one tea buyer for the second time in as many years.

Official government data indicates that the Pakistan and Netherlands bought more goods from Kenya in the first quarter of 2018 than Uganda, the single largest destination of Kenya’s goods every year.

“[Overall], the quantity of tea exported decreased from 34,487.70 metric tonnes in March 2018 to 33,564.66 metric tonnes in April 2018, while its value also decreased from Sh10.47 billion to Sh9.83 billion million over the same period,” says the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.

Pakistan bought Kenyan tea leaves worth Sh22.64 billion between January and April, a 17 per cent growth over the Sh19.34 billion the same period last year.

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The Netherlands, a top market for Kenya’s cut flower continued to remain a strong trade ally to Kenya, riding on the industry’s high season to generate Sh17.8 billion in export earnings, a 16 per cent growth over last year’s Sh15.36 billion.

Uganda slid to the third position in the Kenya’s export radar after its earnings dropped to Sh16.36 billion or nine per cent decline from last year’s Sh17.9 billion.

Egypt, UK and Russia are Kenya’s other important tea markets.

During the four months, export to the UK also grew from Sh12.41 billion in the same period last year to Sh14.3 billion while earnings from the US shrunk to Sh12.8 billion from Sh14.18 last year.

And like Uganda, Tanzania which is also an important market for Kenya’s exports, generated improved earnings of Sh8.28 billion, up 31 per cent from Sh6.32 billion the same period last year