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Kenyan tea exports to South Africa are expected to increase significantly following an agreement between the two countries to remove trade barriers hindering market access, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced.
President William Ruto speaking during the Kenya-South Africa Business Forum attended by business leaders From both countries, Ramaphosa revealed that South Africa had previously considered banning imports of Kenyan tea in response to tariffs imposed by Kenya on South African steel products.
However, the two governments have now agreed to remove barriers with the aim of deepening trade and strengthening economic ties between East and Southern Africa's largest economies.
“We also talked about how we could allow more Kenyan tea to come into South Africa and since Kenya had put tariffs on our steel, we thought in South Africa that we would respond to that by putting barriers on tea coming into South Africa,” Ramaphosa said.
“Earlier today we said no, let's stop this nonsense. Let's reduce the deficit between us. We should not behave like some of the big countries in the world who punish other countries because of disparities in tariffs.”
The South African leader said the decision was informed by the need to support farmers Encourage greater trade Under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He said, “We cannot take revenge for steel and tea, tea that is grown by small-scale farmers. I am saying to my people, let's have heart and allow tea from Kenya to come here to South Africa.”
“Please, I want my tea to come here,” said Ramaphosa, a self-professed tea lover.
President Ruto welcomed the move, saying that Kenya and South Africa have complementary economies that can drive Africa's transformation through trade, investment and industrial cooperation.
He said Kenya remains a major producer of tea, coffee, horticultural products and cut flowers, while South Africa is a leading industrial economy with strengths in manufacturing, mining, pharmaceuticals and financial services.
“In 2025, bilateral trade between our two countries is projected to reach approximately $680 million. This is meaningful progress, but it is also a measure of how much potential remains untapped,” Ruto said.
The two leaders stressed the importance of leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area to boost intra-African trade, which remains below the global average despite the continent's vast market opportunities.
Kenya is one of the world's leading exporters of black tea, with the commodity being one of the country's top foreign exchange earners. The tea industry supports millions of Kenyans directly and indirectly through farming, processing, transportation and export businesses.
Industry players have long advocated increased access to African markets reduce dependency To traditional export destinations in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
The latest agreement is expected to provide Kenyan tea producers greater access to the South African consumer market while reducing trade tensions between the two countries. Business leaders at the forum expressed hope that the move will pave the way for increased investment, stronger regional value chains and deeper economic integration across the continent.
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