KTDA to import 1.9 million bags of fertiliser for smallholder tea farmers

KTDA headquarters in Nairobi. [File, Standard]

The Kenya Tea Development Agency Management Services is set to import 1.9 million bags of KTDA fertiliser for over 750,000 Smallholder tea farmers.                                                                                  

In a notice that appeared in the local dailies, the first consignment is expected in the country from August/September for distribution to farmers ahead of the October short rains.

The Agency said it is set to import 99,000 metric tonnes (1,980,000 bags (50 kg)) of NPK 26:5:5 for the 2026/2027 season, a decrease from 99,875 metric tonnes procured last year.

"This notice is a follow up to the tender for the transportation of bags, Tender Ref KTDA /043/2026 which appeared in the local dailies in April, and after the review of various rates tendered, KTDA has approved a rate of Sh17.79 for factories in Zone A and Sh15 for factories in Zone B and C as detailed in the tender document, the approved rates are per tonne per kilometre inclusive of VAT," Reads the notice.                 

The NPK 26:5:5 chemically compounded fertiliser will be bagged at the port before distribution to the farmers.  

KTDA says this arrangement allows smooth and efficient delivery to farmers up to the closest tea buying centres, as farmers do not incur extra cost transporting the fertiliser from the factory stores.

The cost of a 50 kg bag of fertiliser will be determined by several factors, including the cost of natural gas (a key component in the manufacture of NPK chemically compounded fertiliser), exchange rates, global supply constraints, high crude oil costs and the cost of shipment, among other factors.

The KTDA fertiliser credit scheme enables farmers to pay in instalments for the fertiliser they have ordered for use on their farm. These payments are made over several months to ease the farmer’s burden of purchasing fertiliser, which is a major input cost in tea farming.   

The quantity of fertiliser that farmers receive is usually based on the number of tea bushes they have. On average, one 50 kg bag of fertiliser is applied to about 700 bushes.