Tea farmers challenged to improve crop output

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By Robert Nyasato

Small-scale tea farmers have been urged to improve crop production.Nyaribari Chache MP Robert Monda said this year, farmers contracted to Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) should give better yields because they will receive the highest pay per kilogramme in annual bonus.

Monda who spoke during the burial of a prominent farmer, noted that it was good news to farmers that payment had improved from an average of Sh11 to Sh21.

But the MP, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture, said the payment was still low compared to international rates.

He said that according to world market rates, processed tea went for $2 a kilogramme, meaning farmers should be paid more per kilo of green leaf.

The MP differed with Naftal Moriango, a member of the unregistered Kenya Union of Small-Scale Tea farmers who urged farmers to join the countrywide strike against tea picking for KTDA-affiliated farmers next month.

Moriango said the pay increase was meagre and farmers were demanding a 200 per cent increment.

The MP said farmers were being exploited as their money was being used to finance a bloated factory administration.

He said Parliament was working on legislation to amend laws to provide for a lean budget for the running of factories for the farmer to reap maximum benefit for his crop.

Monda at the same time warned disgruntled farmers against uprooting the crop saying they should instead improve on farm maintenance practices to sustained reasonable pay.