Kenya on Wednesday called on tea producing countries to implement action plans to improve tea quality and its markets in the world.

Kenyan Vice President Moody Awori noted that countries should promote tea consumption in their areas, add value to the product, adopt fair trade practices, and legalize against sub-standard production and sale of tea.

"Tea contributes to foreign exchange earnings, creates employment and directly contributes to food security through income generation. The consuming countries enjoy an excellent beverage for promoting good health of their people," he said while officially opening the 17th Session of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Intergovernmental Group on Tea on Wednesday.

The meeting, which is sponsored by FAO, brings together tea producers, processors, traders, regulators and consumers from all over the world.

Awori commended the countries for establishing networks through which they were sharing experiences and jointly tackling issues affecting the industry.

He urged them to strengthen the collaboration in order to address the current challenges facing them, such as over-supply of tea in the global market, and high production costs.

"Kenya produces 340 million kg of black tea which amounts to 10 percent of the total world production, making it the second largest producer of the commodity after India," Awori noted, adding that through intensive research, the country had managed to come up seven superior tea varieties.

According to report by FAO circulated at the meeting, efforts are needed to be undertaken in order to enhance consumption beyond the traditional markets and in producing countries.

Source: Xinhua