Tea Industry of Kenya, its Assam Linkage, Purple Tea and Potential in Assam

Kenya is a major tea producing and exporting country in the world. Tea is an important foreign exchange earner for Kenya and its importance in the socio-economy of the country is immense. Tea was introduced in Kenya in the beginning of the 20th century with Assam tea seeds. It became popular and production increased due to the favourable agro-climate of the country to reach the position of third highest producing country and largest exporter of tea in the world. The Tea Research Foundation of Kenya developed a purple tea variety rich in anthocyanin, TRFK 306/1 and released in 2011 targeting for diversification to value added new products to Kenyan tea. The purple tea of Kenya is attractive in colour of the liquor and has many medicinal properties beneficial to human health. The origin of purple tea is traced to Assam variety. Assam has potential to produce purple tea also due to presence of large number of anthocyanin rich purple coloured plants in the state.