Minister touts value-addition in tea production
Minister of Water and Sanitation Abida Mia has urged the tea sector to embrace value-addition for the country to reap more benefits.
She made the remarks on Thursday at the Malawi Tea Tasting Event at the House of Commons in the United Kingdom (UK).

The event, which drew officials from the UK and Malawi tea sectors, including UK members of Parliament (MPs), was organised to showcase Malawi’s tea.
“While we take pride in Malawi’s rich tea history, the future demands that we evolve. It is time to focus on value-addi tion—mov ing beyond simply producing raw tea and investing in processes such as blending, packaging, and branding within Malawi itself,” said Mia.
She also called for collaboration among tea sector players to propel Malawi tea onto the global stage.
Said Mia: “Together we can invest in both branding and value-added processes that can propel Malawian tea onto the global stage.”
Tea Association of Malawi chairperson Sangwani Hara said his association believes that trade pacts and enhanced trade can provide a good alternative to aid and development assistance.
He said: “With increased tea imports from Malawi, British tea drinkers will be allowed to consume a great product at a fair price while contributing to Malawi’s and tea estates’ foreign exchange earnings and development agenda.”
In his remarks, Malawi High Commissioner Thomas Bisika, who mooted the idea of the Malawi Tea Tasting Event, said tea will play a significant role as Malawi transitions from aid to trade.
He thanked Sureena Brackenridge, MP, and Warinder Juss, MP, for hosting the event.
On his part, London Tea Exchange chief executive officer Sheikh Aliur Rahman called for fair play in the tea production chain.
Tea is one of Malawi’s foreign exchange earners, contributing about eight percent to forex earnings, and 11 percent to national employment.
The local tea industry employs over 60 000 temporary and permanent workers.