Smallholder factories to pay tea farmers higher amounts earlier

A worker at Iriani Tea Factory in Othaya, Nyeri. [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) factories are set to release second payments four months earlier than usual even as some grapple with cash flow hiccups.

The 69 factories are currently in the middle of an annual ritual to declare second payment rates with boards of at least four having already approved better rates than last year's.