Tea farming is one of the country’s major foreign earners. Kenya is the third leading producer of tea and the biggest exporter accounting for 28 per cent of the world’s tea exports.

Smallholder tea farmers in the country account for around 65 per cent of the total tea production.

However, in the past several years, farmers in the country had lamented of low prices coupled with an increase in prices of fertilizers and inputs, leaving them barely making a livelihood off of their hard work.

Hon. Mithika Linturi, the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary yesterday joined the tea industry stakeholders during the KTDA Annual Directors conference.

 The Cabinet Secretary was delighted to announce that over the past two years, Kenyan tea farmers have witnessed remarkable progress. KTDA managed factories increased the green leaf price for farmers from Kshs. 34.71 in 2021 to Ksh. 59.02 this year. This progress can be attributed to the ongoing reforms, which H.E Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is spearheading.

The CS declared that the government is not halting making any stops just yet.

 Farmers have been provided with subsidized fertilizer with the government actively exploring more avenues to boost tea value addition.

Hon. Mithika called to the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) to unite stakeholders and find alternative conflict resolution for the pending court cases hindering the reforms.

“Let’s remember, the sustainability of the tea sector is a collective effort. Together, we can maximize profits for our hardworking farmers,” said Hon. Mithika.