Dry weather in Kenya may bring relief to producers in India
In a sign of increasingly interdependent global tea industry, the current dry weather spell in Kenya may translate into better export numbers for growers in India. Following a bumper crop in the past couple of years, which led to lower prices and higher exports at the expense of other producing countries, Kenya is now facing an unusual spell of dry weather that has sent prices up as high as 60%. This plays into the hands of farmers in India, whose tea is usually more expensive due to more labor-intensive farming practices. They hope to recover some of the ground lost in major markets like the US, Iran and Pakistan, although exports may remain subdued in the short-term due to strong local demand.