Kenya’s smallholder tea farmers are set for a major boost as nearly 100,000 metric tonnes of subsidized fertilizer procured by the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) arrives in the country in October.
The shipment, which marks the largest consignment in recent years, is expected to significantly ease input costs and improve yields for thousands of farmers.
According to KTDA, 99,875 metric tonnes of Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (NPK) fertilizer with a 26:5:5 composition ratio have been ordered and are on the way.
This year’s consignment translates to about 1.9 million 50-kilogram bags- an increase of almost 3,000 tonnes compared to last year’s order of 97,000 metric tonnes.
The fertilizer will be distributed to over 69 tea processing factories across 16 tea-growing counties.
KTDA Acting Head of Procurement and Logistics, Peter Mungai, said the move would secure timely access to high-quality fertilizer ahead of the next planting cycle, easing costs for farmers.
“KTDA Management Services Limited has finalized the process of importation. The first consignment is expected to arrive in early October or thereabout,” reads a notice on the agency’s website.
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The agency bulk-buys fertilizer every year to ensure smallholder farmers get premium input at competitive prices.
Once delivered to Kenya, the fertilizer is repackaged into 50-kilogram bags and distributed through respective factories.
KTDA then recovers the cost gradually from farmers during monthly green leaf payments and annual bonuses, ensuring farmers are not locked out by high upfront costs.
Last year, the Ministry of Agriculture extended a Ksh2 billion subsidy to the tea subsector, reducing the retail price of fertilizer to Ksh2,500 per 50-kilogram bag — about Ksh900 less than the prevailing market price.
This arrangement helped cushion farmers from soaring input costs, and stakeholders expect the same support to maintain productivity levels this year.
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KTDA has also introduced new transport rates to streamline delivery to factories.
Transporters delivering to Zone A (South Rift including Bomet) will receive Ksh15.57 per tonne per kilometre, while those servicing Zone B (East of the Rift) and Zone C (West of the Rift) will receive Ksh11.92 per tonne per kilometre. Trucks must have a carrying capacity of at least 15 tonnes, be Kenyan-registered and compliant with government requirements such as insurance, vehicle tracking and speed governors.
With the tea industry contributing over 20 percent of Kenya’s export earnings, the timely arrival of subsidized fertilizer is expected to enhance green leaf quality, boost farmers’ incomes, and sustain the country’s global competitiveness in tea exports.
By Our reporter
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