Kenya’s tea exports rose by 3% year-on-year to 239.91 million kilogrammes between January and May 2026, up from 233.29 million kilogrammes during the same period last year.
The increase was supported by stronger demand in some of Kenya’s biggest export markets, particularly Pakistan, Egypt and the United Kingdom, although shipments to several traditional destinations recorded significant declines.
Pakistan remained the leading destination for Kenyan tea, importing 94.15 million kilogrammes during the five-month period. This represented an 11% increase from a year earlier and accounted for 39.2% of Kenya’s total tea exports.
Egypt was the second-largest market, taking 40.15 million kilogrammes after imports from Kenya increased by 32%. The UK followed with 19.88 million kilogrammes, representing a 16% increase.
Combined, Pakistan, Egypt and the UK accounted for about 64.3% of Kenya’s tea exports during the period, underlining the continued importance of a relatively small group of markets to the country's tea trade.
“Kenya’s tea exports rose 3% YoY to 239.91Mn kg in Jan–May 2026, from 233.29Mn kg a year earlier, with growth concentrated in a handful of major markets. Pakistan remained the largest destination, taking 94.15Mn kg, up 11% and equivalent to 39.2% of total exports. Egypt followed at 40.15Mn kg, up 32%, while shipments to the UK rose 16% to 19.88Mn kg. UAE and Russia also recorded gains of 6% and 2% respectively,” the data shared by Kenyan Wall Street on Friday showed.
The latest figures come against a backdrop of volatility in Kenya’s tea export sector. Tea Board of Kenya data shows the country exported 652.8 million kilogrammes of tea in 2025, up from 594.5 million kilogrammes in 2024, representing growth of 9.8%. However, the sector faced higher logistics costs and disruptions to shipping routes, particularly through the Red Sea.
The importance of Pakistan to Kenya’s tea trade has remained evident in previous years. Tea Board data for 2024 shows Pakistan bought 206.27 million kilogrammes of Kenyan tea, equivalent to 34.7% of the country’s total tea exports that year. Egypt purchased 86.9 million kilogrammes, while the UK took 57.44 million kilogrammes.
The January-May 2026 figures also show significant growth in some smaller markets. Yemen recorded the sharpest increase among the destinations listed, with Kenyan tea exports surging by 318% to 5.85 million kilogrammes.
Uzbekistan, Iraq, Japan and Turkey also recorded increases, although their export volumes remained considerably below those of Pakistan, Egypt and the UK.
The gains were partly offset by declining shipments to several established markets. Exports to Oman and Sudan each fell by 59%, while shipments to South Africa dropped by 61%.
Germany recorded a 46% decline and India a 21% fall. India received 4.64 million kilogrammes of Kenyan tea during the period.
The United Arab Emirates imported 11.73 million kilogrammes, while Russia received 10.95 million kilogrammes. Saudi Arabia accounted for 5.09 million kilogrammes, followed by Poland at 4.23 million kilogrammes and Kazakhstan at 3.57 million kilogrammes.
Other destinations included Ireland, Nigeria, Japan, the Netherlands and Turkey, which received 3.14 million, 2.82 million, 1.13 million, 1.07 million and 1.06 million kilogrammes respectively.
The performance comes after Kenya’s tea export earnings declined in the financial year ended June 2025. Business Daily, citing official data, reported that tea export earnings fell 13.41% to Sh176.76 billion from Sh204.14 billion a year earlier, marking the first annual decline in seven years.
The sector has also faced pressure from geopolitical disruptions. In April 2026, industry officials warned that disruptions to Middle East shipping routes had left millions of kilogrammes of tea in warehouses in Mombasa, with the East Africa Tea Traders Association estimating losses of up to $8 million per week at the time.
The latest export volumes therefore point to moderate growth in Kenya’s tea trade, even as individual markets continue to show sharply different trends.
The additional 6.62 million kilogrammes exported during January-May 2026 compared with the same period in 2025 reflects stronger purchases in key destinations, particularly Pakistan and Egypt, while the declines in several traditional markets highlight the changing pattern of global demand for Kenyan tea.
With Pakistan alone accounting for nearly two-fifths of exports during the period, developments in the market remain particularly significant for Kenya’s tea exporters and the wider industry.