Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Mutahi Kagwe has cautioned political leaders against turning tea prices into a regional or political issue.
The CS has said the challenges in the tea value chain are technical and should be addressed through policy reforms, data-driven decisions, and quality improvement, not rhetoric.
Speaking in Embu County during the flagging off of 13 new milk coolers for local dairy cooperatives, Kagwe said tea buyers are guided purely by quality preferences, not regional considerations.
“Buyers are not forced to buy tea from any specific region. It is their preference. They dictate the type and quality of tea they want,” said Kagwe.
He stated that tea taste issues are not political issues but technical issues.
The CS clarified that the tea market remains fully liberalized under KTDA Holdings Limited, allowing farmers to explore direct sales if they are dissatisfied with current prices.
“If you feel the prices you are getting are not fair, pursue direct sales. You are free to choose where to sell. My job is to ensure tea quality improves across all regions, and I am working with the East to make sure they fetch better prices,” he said. “Let us not politicize tea prices. Good prices follow good quality. Two leaves and a bud, that discipline remains key.”
ALSO READ:
Kagwe warned that attempts by politicians to divide farmers along regional lines threaten to destabilize one of Kenya’s most unified agricultural sectors.
“Politicians please do not divide people along tea lines. There is no division. Our job is to produce the best quality tea and help regions that need support to reach that level,” he stated.
He underscored that agricultural challenges should be approached technically, not politically, calling for permanent, policy-led, and data-based solutions.
“We call for sobriety. The issues facing agriculture are well known to farmers and stakeholders. They should be addressed through technical interventions, not political competition,” Kagwe said.
The CS reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting all agricultural subsectors and urged leaders to understand the underlying technical issues before making public statements.
Kagwe emphasizing the need for unity and professionalism in strengthening Kenya’s agricultural performance, noting that leadership in the sector must focus on empowering farmers rather than dividing them.
By Obegi Malack
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
