KTDA procures 2 million bags of fertiliser for tea farmers

A farmer picks tea on a farm. [File, Standard]

The Kenya Tea Development Authority has procured two million bags of fertiliser, which will be issued to over 600,000 farmers starting next month.

The move comes after delays in the shipment of the cargo due to technical and logistical challenges, as the fertiliser was to be supplied to farmers this month ahead of expected rainfall.

KTDA National Chairman Enos Njeru announced that the authority will receive 99,000 metric tonnes of the fertiliser next month, with supplies expected to be immediately available to eagerly waiting farmers.

“We have procured 99,000 metric tonnes, worth two million bags (50kgs) of fertiliser, which will arrive early next month and will be supplied to farmers immediately amid delays from the source,“ said Njeru.

He announced that KTDA is diversifying its market for local tea to boost farmers' earnings after recording a drop in tea prices in the last couple of months.

Njeru said KTDA was awaiting a court direction on the implementation of the 0.8 per cent levy that had been gazetted by the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, after a section of farmers petitioned the courts on the matter.

He rejected claims reported in a section of the media regarding alleged irregular or illegal payments to one of the fertiliser suppliers amounting to approximately Sh.322.5 million, saying that investigations were ongoing.

“The alleged payment of Sh322.5 million to one of the fertiliser suppliers is currently under investigation by the relevant investigating authorities, and we will allow the competent authorities to complete their work, establish the facts and issue their findings,” he said.

Njeru admitted that KTDA and the tea sector had faced persistent criticism, allegations and public attacks on numerous fronts and assured that the authority would entrench accountability in its operations to safeguard the interests of the 600,000 farmers countrywide.

Addressing the Press on the sidelines of a meeting with the chairman of tea authorities in Naivasha, he warned against destroying the reputation of KTDA through unverified social-media posts, sensational headlines, speculative commentary or irresponsible blogging.

Njeru said that KTDA was open and prepared to engage constructively on genuine proposals on reforms in the tea sector that would improve farmers' earnings moving forward.

“The interests of individual persons or groups must never supersede the interests of the millions of tea farmers whose livelihoods depend on this industry,” he said.

The chairman assured that the KTDA leadership was committed to strengthening its governance, financial discipline, accountability and transparency across its operations.

Njeru welcomed the move by the national government to set aside a grant to replace old machinery at the factories, which would improve efficiency while cutting operational costs for the benefit of farmers.

He noted that KTDA-managed factories had installed anti-tampering devices to manage green leaf fraud through weighing scale tampering, warning that actions would be taken against those found culpable.