The farmer who won’t abandon tea

As some tea farmers think of uprooting their tea to venture into other income-generating activities owing to bonus fluctuation, a farmer in Meru county vows to press on with tea farming.

Edwin Mugambi from Amugaa location in Tigania Central sub-county is so much tied to tea farming that no eventualities can make him change his mind.

Mugambi says he has been growing tea for the last four years in his two-acre piece of land and cannot complain since the returns he gets helps him to feed for his family.

“In the first year, I plucked 4,000kgs, in 3rd year 3,700kgs. This year I harvested only 2700kgs due to lack of enough rain,” he said.

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Speaking to KNA, Mugambi advises farmers who want to uproot tea to think twice since the sector is characterized by ups and downs.

“Farmers should be patient since prices change with time. They should not just focus on the reduced tea bonuses since at the end of the day one reaps something from the cash crop,” Mugambi said.

He says tea farming has assisted him to finance his school fees up to the university level together with enabling him to earn knowledge of starting other businesses.

He prides himself in tea farming stating that it provides one with a lump sum amount at once hence enabling a farmer to plan for other development projects.