Tea farmers in tea-growing communities west of the Rift Valley face another year of reduced earnings. Most of these farmers are under the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA).
Data shows tea from the region earned an average of Sh226.17 per kilo in the nine months to September 2025. During the same period last year, it fetched Sh270.11 per kilo. This marks a drop of Sh43.94, or 16.26 percent. The main tea-growing counties in the west include Kericho, Kisii, Nandi, and Nyamira.
Tea from the east of the Rift Valley performed better. It sold at an average of Sh379.96 per kilo, slightly lower than Sh387.72 last year. This represents a two percent fall. The main producers in the east are Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Meru, and Embu.
The average price of tea at the Mombasa auction dropped to Sh262.35 in the first nine months of 2025. It stood at Sh264.94 during the same period in 2024, showing a 0.9 percent decline.
With only three months left in the year, farmers west of the Rift Valley are unlikely to recover. A Mombasa-based broker said prices are unlikely to rebound soon. Farmers in the east could, however, maintain or slightly increase their earnings.
In 2024, Kericho farmers earned Sh245 per kilo, down Sh101. Bomet made Sh209, down Sh85. Nyamira earned Sh266, down Sh106. Kisii made Sh246, down Sh95, while Nandi/Vihiga earned Sh208, down Sh66.
KTDA blamed the drop on a stronger shilling and poor tea quality. The Kenyan shilling averaged Sh129 per US dollar in 2025, compared to Sh144 in 2024. This reduced export returns.
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