In response to the rising costs of third-party certifications, Kenya considers creating its own self-regulated certification system.
Kenya has suspended Rainforest Alliance (RA) audits, in-person inspections, and new certifications for the country's tea factories nationwide, citing high costs levied on farmers.
Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh halted audits and new certifications at all tea factories, including those of independent producers, pending what he called “a further joint resolution of the matter.” This is likely to involve creating a self-regulated alternative to third-party certifiers.
There are 66 operational tea factories managed by the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), as well as several privately operated factories, including those run by Browns Plantations East Africa and Williamson Tea Kenya. Globally, RA certifies 950,000 tea farmers who employ 790,000 farm workers in 22 countries.
The suspension was announced following a May 8 meeting of stakeholders, who stated that the burden of certification should rest with the end consumer rather than with growers. Certification costs for a Kenyan tea factory producing 5 to 15 million kilograms of green leaf range from $2,900 to $3,200 annually, a Ksh 375,000 to 415,000 cost deemed unfairly shouldered by factories that pass on the cost of compliance and fees to farmers, most of whom are smallholders.
Kenya’s Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) issued the circular after meeting with senior representatives from RA, executives from the Kenya Tea Board, and the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA). Kenya’s suspension is the latest in a series of self-regulation initiatives aimed at curbing the cost of third-party certifications.
Kenya is considering a Trustea model pioneered by India. The Trustea program, which enforces domestic standard practices, was launched in 2013. Approximately 80% of India's tea is consumed domestically. Currently, half of the country’s tea is produced on farms with 10 hectares or less of land under tea cultivation. Rainforest Alliance continues to certify larger operations to meet export requirements established in Europe, North America, and Asia.
Sri Lanka is developing a national sustainability framework for estates operated by Regional Plantations Companies (RPCs). The plan is to regulate Ceylon Tea quality seals and enforce minimum wage and labor laws, ensuring traceability through QR codes and blockchain technology.
In 2007, Unilever was praised for certifying Lipton-owned Kericho Estate as Kenya’s first large-scale RA-approved tea plantation. Other suppliers soon followed, eventually leading grocers to insist on more stringent ethical and environmental standards. Even low-price leader Walmart has an RA label on its store-branded tea.
Buyers supplying tea to North America and Western Europe view Voluntary Sustainability Certification (VSC) as a minimum standard. Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade, and eco-friendly labels are essential for grocers stocking premium selections.
More than half the tea Kenya exports is to markets that do not consider certifications essential. Pakistan, for example, buys 45% of Kenya's annual exports, Egypt buys 16%. EU member countries imported only 4.5% valued at about $54 million in 2024. Consumers pay 10-20% higher prices to retailers prioritizing traceability, social responsibility, and environmental compliance.
“However, the reality is more complex,” writes Kenyan tea marketer and trader Christine Simon. “Industry insiders have noted that some buyers in these very markets often demand certified tea at the lowest possible prices, rarely offering a premium that reflects the actual cost of compliance. This contradiction puts producers in a bind: they are expected to meet rigorous sustainability standards but are not adequately compensated for doing so.”
“They (buyers) may swallow that cost initially, offering you a deal the first time, and then cutting contract pricing to commodity levels,” explains a veteran tea and coffee grower in Karnataka who pays for multiple certifications. “We sell at a premium, but it is not clear how the cost of certifications is allocated. It is not visible, and there is an overlap.
“We were already complying with Rainforest Alliance standards for audits by Fair Trade, organic, and other sustainability certifiers," he said. "Unlike single-day audits by certifying agents, I prefer that buyers see what I do by visiting at their convenience.”
Here is a side-by-side comparison chart of national certification systems versus third-party certifications in key tea-producing countries.