Abdulsamad Ali
1 April 2008
Nairobi — East African Tea Trade Association is working on plans to introduce electronic tea auctions.
The chairman, Francis Kiragu, who is also the Unilever Tea's customer development director in Mombasa, said the introduction of e-auctions was part of new strategies by East African Tea Trade Association (EATTA), which is being converted into a registered limited company.
"The world has become a global village, and we cannot continue transacting business as we did in the 60's or 70's. Business is now moving to the internet, and we want to be there also," he said.
He added that move would reduce the negative influence of the Dubai Tea Trade Centre on Mombasa.
"We have several advantages over Dubai, but we cannot sit and assume all is well. We have to move faster and remain the leading tea auction in the world," said Mr Kiragu.
Among the advantages that Mombasa has over Dubai, said Mr Kiragu, includes the fact that tea sold at its auction is from the region.
"Most of the tea in Dubai is from this region by traders who want to explore new markets."
Mr Kiragu said EATTA, with a membership of 259 regional tea related companies, held its annual general meeting, where it was decided to transform it into a limited company because of the advantages associated with it.
"Associations cannot transact business as limited companies do, so we have decided to start the process of signing up with the Registrar of Companies," he said during the launch.
EATTA's liabilities are currently guaranteed by the member companies, and so loans are hard to come by.
"We hope that once the limited company is registered, we will realise the benefits that we have longed for," he said.
The East African Tea Trade Association (EATTA) auctioning room has received a major face-lift, after Safmarine, a leading shipper of tea for export from Kenya and the region, financed its rebranding and the general painting works, and decoration of the EATTA offices along Nyerere Avenue.
Friendly
The new look is meant to give a friendly, but business-like look to the EATTA offices which have remained largely unchanged for the last 50 years. The changes also extend to the lighting .
Mr John Lim, Safmarine regional manager East Africa, said they financed the project, because of their partnership with EATTA.
"This is like giving back to the association, because we have been in business together, and we have been the main carrier of Kenyan tea to Europe and other destinations," said Mr Lim.
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