By Vitalis Kimutai

Tea growers in Bomet want Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) to pay Sh25.15 bonus for each kilogramme of green leaf delivered in the last financial year.

The farmers, who have boycotted picking and delivery of tea leaves for five days, accused the agency of reducing the payments to Sh22.75.

They claimed two months ago, the agency promised to pay them Sh25.15 and wondered why it was backtracking on its promise.

Mr Richard Yegon, who spoke on behalf of the growers, said KTDA had not given them a proper explanation as to how and why the payment was reduced.

"The growers who supply green leaf to Kapkoros and Tirgaga factories are shocked that KTDA has not bothered to explain to them the reasons that made it reduce the money it had promised to pay," Yegon said.

The growers are also demanding that KTDA increases by 100 per cent the price for green leaf supplied to its factories.

"The current Sh10.50 per kilogramme of green leaf paid by the agency is too low and should be increased to Sh20.50," Yegon said.

Mr Joseph Koech, the chairman, board of directors for the two factories, said KTDA had indeed declared Sh25.15 as payment for the growers as bonus in the current pay out.

"KTDA top officials made the announcement during a meeting with factory directors on September 15 at the company’s head office in Nairobi," Koech said in Bomet on Sunday.