Gov’t taps Kericho for tea value addition and agro-processing drive
Kibe Mburu -KNA
The Government is positioning Kericho County as a model for county-based industrialization anchored on tea value addition and agro-processing as part of a broader national strategy to drive economic transformation through devolved units.
Speaking during the official opening of the Kericho County Enterprise and Investment Summit at Kiprugut Chumo Stadium in Kericho Town, Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui said Kericho’s strategic agricultural base and infrastructure potential places it at the forefront of Kenya’s regional industrial growth agenda.
The CS disclosed that the Ministry is in discussion with the county government to convert some 88 acres of land in Kericho into a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), while consultations were at an advanced stage for another Special Economic Zone in Londiani targeting the floriculture industry.
At the same time, Kinyanjui announced that Sotik Tea, one of the leading producers in the South Rift has already been gazetted as a SEZ.
"The Ministry is in talks with Kenya Tea Packers Limited (KETEPA) to set up a common user facility within the SEZ for tea blending, packaging, and value addition," he added.
The CS noted that the tea sector had demonstrated resilience amid declining performance in other export commodities, saying that according to the Economic Survey of 2025, Kenya exported 626,000 metric tonnes of tea in 2024, an 11 percent increase from 564,000 tonnes in 2023.
He further pointed out that export earnings from tea rose marginally from Sh188 billion in 2023 to Sh189 billion in 2024, cementing tea’s position as Kenya’s second-largest foreign exchange earner.
He said these numbers reflect the need to deepen investment in tea processing and market diversification through localized manufacturing zones.
"To further support industrialization, the Ministry is establishing the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks designed to enhance post-harvest management, aggregation, and preliminary processing of agricultural produce, particularly for smallholder farmers and cooperatives," said Kinyanjui.
He also noted that the Ministry, through the State Department for Industry, is mapping out infrastructure needs for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the county to improve MSME productivity through access to technology and industrial services will help anchor inclusive growth.
In addition, he said the Ministry is working with the Kericho County Government to finalize the County Licensing Uniform Procedure Regulations, aimed at harmonizing county fees, permits, and levies and establish a County Environment Competitive Index to benchmark and enhance the ease of doing business.