The government will introduce a scientific tea tasting process at the Mombasa Auction to establish precise quality standards for tea in the export market.
At Litein Tea Factory, Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Paul Kipronoh Ronoh revealed that issues of substandard tea had led to unsold stock at the auction.
He assured small-scale farmers that the new scientific tasting method would ensure accurate quality assessment and address these concerns.
Dr. Ronoh explained that the scientific tasting protocol was introduced in response to ongoing complaints from tea brokers and buyers about the quality of tea at the auction.
He stressed the importance of improving plucking standards to enhance tea quality and attract buyers, which would lead to better income for farmers.
“Tea brokers and buyers at the Mombasa Auction have reported poor quality tea, but with scientific tasting, we aim to resolve these issues.
I urge farmers to ensure that only high-quality tea reaches the buying centers,” Dr. Ronoh stated.
Despite the sector’s positive performance over the past two years, Dr. Ronoh acknowledged that small-scale farmers have struggled with low income.
He assured that the government is committed to improving farmers’ earnings by addressing the issue of unsold old stock.
“We have five million kilos of unsold old tea at the Mombasa Auction, but the government is committed to selling it all within the next few months,” Dr. Ronoh added.
During his visit to Toror, Litein, Kapkatet, and Kapkoros tea factories in Kericho and Bomet counties, Dr. Ronoh inspected productivity and operational capacities, meeting with factory directors, management, and tea farmers.
He reaffirmed the government’s dedication to maintaining factory standards and enhancing tea quality.
The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) is expected to provide a full report on factory conditions next month.
Aligned with the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), Dr. Ronoh emphasized the government’s commitment to boosting tea productivity and quality while reducing production costs.
He also encouraged farmers to utilize the 97,000 metric tons of subsidized fertilizer available from September to prepare for the short rains.
Wilson Muthaura, CEO of Kenya Tea Development Agency Holdings Limited, reported that KTDA had sold more tea this year compared to last, marking a 10 percent increase.
According to the Economic Survey 2024, tea remains a top foreign exchange earner for Kenya, second only to tourism, with an estimated annual value of Sh 188,737 billion.
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