Nairobi, June 8 -- The Ministry of Agriculture projects to collect Sh1.38 billion from the newly tea export levy annually, raising the total taxes from the beverage to more than Sh1.4 billion.

The government expects to collect Sh40 million in tea import levy, raising the total revenue from tea taxes to Sh1.42 billion a year.

The Tea Levy Regulations, 2026 reintroduces a levy, payable only by tea exporters at 0.8 percent of the auction value or customs value for direct sales, and by tea importers at 100 percent of the import value per consignment of made tea.

The collection of Sh1.42 billion is based on 2023 export data, where 522.92 million kilos of tea was exported, generating Sh180.57 billion.

"Based on 2023 export data, the levy is...