Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok and his Kericho counterpart Erick Mutai are seeking a debt waiver from the national government to bail out the financially overwhelmed tea industry in the region.
Speaking during a meeting held at Bomet hotel with officials from the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) led by newly elected National Vice-Chairman Erick Chepkwony recently, Barchok said that he and other leaders from the region shall approach President William Ruto to discuss a potential bailout for the struggling tea sector, akin to previous bailouts for the coffee and sugar industries.
“With the realization that most of our KTDA factories are currently burdened with heavy loans, we have resolved to negotiate for a bailout of the tea sector by the national government, the same way other sectors of our economy have been supported,” Barchok said.
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He aired dissatisfaction regarding stalled tea leaves, clocking over 45 million kilogrammes, at the Mombasa Tea Auction Centre for several weeks now.
Governor Mutai called on the government to waive loans owed by tea farmers to the Agricultural Finance Corporation, arguing that this is essential to support the struggling tea sector, which plays a crucial role in the country’s economy.
By Vostine Ratemo
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