Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo

Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo is a black tea estate located in the Kisii region of Kenya, at an elevation of 1,652 metres. The estate is operated by the Kenya Tea Development Agency, a major player in Kenyan smallholder tea production. It is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the leading buyers and processors in the global tea trade.

Terroir & Climate

At 1,652 metres above sea level, Nyansiongo sits within the mid-altitude band that characterises much of Kenya's western tea-growing country. Estates at this elevation typically benefit from moderate temperatures and reliable rainfall distributed across much of the year, conditions that tend to support steady vegetative growth. The Kisii region lies close to the equator, and this latitude generally allows for year-round cropping with little seasonal dormancy, though growth rates often fluctuate with shifts in precipitation and cloud cover.

Mid-altitude sites in western Kenya are often subject to relatively high humidity and frequent afternoon mist, factors that can encourage tender leaf and contribute to the briskness for which Kenyan black teas are known. Soils in the area tend to be volcanic in origin, typically offering good drainage and a mineral profile that supports robust bush health, though specific soil composition varies considerably from site to site.

Tea Produced

Nyansiongo produces black tea. Estates in the Kisii region at comparable elevations generally yield teas with a bright, coppery liquor and the brisk, astringent character typical of Kenyan manufacture. The cup profile often features a clean, malty body with some citrus brightness, though individual lots vary with plucking standard, processing method, and seasonal conditions. Mid-altitude Kenyan blacks are widely valued for their strength and consistency in blends.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Nyansiongo is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with extensive buying, processing, and packing operations across East Africa. Finlays sources from numerous estates and smallholder groups in Kenya and serves a diverse roster of international branded and retail clients. The presence of Finlays in Nyansiongo's supply chain suggests the estate's output meets the quality and volume standards required for commercial blending and export markets, particularly in the UK and other established tea-consuming regions.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Operator

The Kenya Tea Development Agency operates Nyansiongo and is one of the largest institutions in the Kenyan tea sector, coordinating production, processing, and marketing for smallholder farmers organised into factory units. The agency manages a network of tea factories across the country's key growing regions. In addition to Nyansiongo, the Kenya Tea Development Agency operates six other estates recorded in this directory, reflecting its significant footprint in Kenyan tea production and its role in linking smallholder growers to international buyers.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo lies at -0.6790, 34.7760 in Kisii, Kenya. Its 1652 m elevation is the lowest of 7 estates we map in Kisii. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Kenya Tea Development Agency, Sombogo — under 1 km away
• NYAMACHE — under 1 km away
• OGEMBO (EBEREGE) — 1.0 km away
• Kenya Tea Development Agency, Rianyamwamu — 5.7 km away
• ITUMBE — 11 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo (1,652 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo recorded 1,526 mm in 2025, 16% less than the 1,813 mm average across these estates: at the same height, local weather and exposure matter as much as elevation.

Estate	Where	Elevation	Rain 2025	Mean high
Njeru Tea Factory	Meru-Nairobi Highway, Kenya	1,657 m	890 mm	22.8 °C
Arivikad	Kerala, India	1,646 m	2,773 mm	21.3 °C
Mwenge	Ankole. District: Bushenyi Area, Uganda	1,644 m	1,399 mm	25.3 °C
Himalayan Shangri-La	Mechi Hwy, Nepal	1,661 m	2,238 mm	18.2 °C
KAIMOSI	Kaimosi, Kenya	1,665 m	1,764 mm	24.5 °C

Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo Compared with Kisii

In Kisii, Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo is wetter than 50% of the others by 2025 rainfall; the lowest of the 7 estates by elevation; the warmest of the 7 estates by daytime temperature. The table sets Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo against the 6 other estates we map in Kisii, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.

Measure	Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo	Region median	Region range
Elevation	1,652 m	1,752 m	1,684 to 1,890 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	1,526 mm	1,540 mm	1,370 to 1,586 mm
Mean daily high	25.1 °C	24.2 °C	23.8 to 24.8 °C
Mean overnight low	15.0 °C	14.0 °C	13.2 to 14.9 °C

Observed Climate at Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo’s coordinates recorded 1,526 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was April (253 mm) and the driest was February (21 mm). Daytime highs averaged 25.1 °C and overnight lows 15.0 °C over the year; February was the warmest month and July the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	1,526 mm
Wettest month	April (253 mm)
Driest month	February (21 mm)
Mean daily high	25.1 °C
Mean overnight low	15.0 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo located?

Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo is in Kisii, Kenya, at coordinates -0.6790, 34.7760, at an elevation of about 1652 metres.

Who operates Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo?

Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo is operated by Kenya Tea Development Agency, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo produce?

Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 1,526 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in April (253 mm).

How does Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Kenya Tea Development Agency, Nyansiongo recorded 1,526 mm in 2025, 16% less rain than the 1,813 mm average of estates at a similar elevation.

Data sources: public supply-chain disclosures (Ethical Tea Partnership member lists, Rainforest Alliance certificate holders and retailer supplier disclosures); climate figures are ERA5 reanalysis modelled for the estate’s coordinates via Open-Meteo (calendar year 2025); coordinates and elevations from geocoded records. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].