SAT

SUKAMBIZI ASSOCIATION TRUST

The tea industry in Malawi dates from 1891. Malawi is now the second largest tea producer in Africa after Kenya. Tea production is currently estimated at 49,000 tons per year, on average. Tea is produced by 21 factories (16 owned by UK – based companies and 5 by locally owned enterprises. There are approximately 14,000 smallholder tea farmers in Malawi. After tobacco, tea is the second largest export earner for Malawi. Tea accounts for 8% of export earnings. Tea is exported to the UK (35%), South Africa (26%0 and also to Kenya, USA and Canada. There are four Fair-trade certified producers in Malawi which comprise 12,000 farmers.

The sector is well organized through the Tea Association of Malawi, an association of the country’s major tea growing companies. Estates are the only value –chain actor currently offering credit to existing smallholder tea growers.