KAMPALA – Uganda is set to host the 40th African Tea Convention scheduled for June 26 to 28 2019 at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
Over 500 delegates and 30 exhibitors from 20 countries globally are expected to attend.
The global event for the tea industry is being organized by the East African Tea Trade Association (EATTA) based in Mombasa, Kenya assisted by the Uganda tea umbrella organization, Uganda Tea Association (UTA).
The 1st African Tea convention was held in Mombasa Kenya and the 2nd one was held in Kigali Rwanda in 2013, then the third one held in Nairobi, Kenya. More than 50 tea companies have participated in the exhibitions.
“Tea is the most consumed beverage in the world and Uganda is one of the largest tea producing countries in Africa being 2nd to Kenya. With over 20 teas producing companies in Uganda alone, this convention promises to be the biggest ever and will be a very important resource for anyone or company intending to go into the tea business,” said George W. Ssekitoleko, Executive Secretary of UTA.
According to Ssekitoleko, over 20 industry experts will address stakeholders during the forum .The conference, which is listed on the World Speciality Tea Conference list, will host specialized forums focusing on crucial aspects affecting the tea farmers including the environment, production and processing, human rights and other tea production challenges and consumer changing tests.
The convention and exhibition is expected to be opened by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Amelia Kyambadde.
The event provides a great opportunity for its stakeholders to interact with world tea leaders and technology experts, industry experts, agriculture input suppliers, practitioners, researchers and scholars, financiers and investors alongside logistic and warehousing experts, tea buyers, tea packers and retailers, shippers and freight agents among other stakeholders in the tea sector
Participating countries include are Kenya, Rwanda, Japan, USA, Germany, Denmark, Pakistan, India, Malawi, Spain, Sri Lanka South Africa, Argentina, Uzbeskistan and United Kingdom.
“The African Tea Convention and Exhibition is the largest tea industry trade show and conference in Africa. Thousands of stakeholders attend it to discover latest trends of tea products from all over the world, to exhibit and see new technology in the tea industry like machinery and in some instances make firm orders of the same, to network with colleagues and friends, and gain tea and tea industry education from leading industry experts.” said Edward Mudibo, managing director EATTA.
