The Kenyan government has taken swift action to address rising concerns after the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) announced a significant increase in tea fertilizer prices.
In a notice issued on October 9, KTDA revealed that farmers would be charged Sh3,400 for a 50kg bag of fertilizer, which is well above the standard price of Sh2,500 set under the government’s subsidy program aimed at revitalizing the tea sector.
The agency indicated that this additional cost would be deducted from the farmers’ upcoming bonus payments.
In response to this situation, Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh assured smallholder tea farmers that the government remains committed to easing their financial burden related to fertilizer purchases.
He instructed the KTDA to adhere to the government’s pricing directive, emphasizing that funds are available to support the subsidy initiative.
In his communication to KTDA CEO Wilson Muthaura, Ronoh stated, “You are advised to ensure that fertilizers are supplied to tea farmers at the government recommended price of Sh2,500 per 50kg bag as the Ministry processes the subsidy payments.”
He also mentioned that the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the National Treasury, is currently arranging for Sh2 billion to be allocated for the fertilizer subsidy program for the 2024/2025 financial year, building on the Sh1.4 billion released in July 2023.
This year, KTDA has secured 97,000 metric tonnes of chemically compounded NKP 26:5:5 fertilizer, marking an increase of 4,000 metric tonnes compared to the previous year.
So far, 47,390 metric tonnes have arrived and are being distributed to farmers in various tea-growing regions across the country, with a goal to reach over 700,000 tea farmers.
Additionally, a vessel carrying 50,120 metric tonnes of fertilizer is expected to dock at Mombasa port next week, further bolstering the supply.
Israel Addresses Incident Involving Injuries To UN Peacekeepers In Lebanon
