Tea growers in the east of the rift are protesting against a proposal on the standardization of the tea bonus, calling on the stakeholders to enforce plucking of quality green leaf.
In their Annual General Meetings, the farmers across the counties said the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) should ensure all the players are involved in enhancing quality production to allow the produce fetch better prices in the local and international market.
KTDA Holding Board Member Enos Njeru addressing farmers at Rukuriri, Mungania and Kathangariri tea factories separately said that all the tea farmers are mandated to be guided on quality production of their tea.
“Rukuriri tea factory was this year paid the best bonus of Sh57.50 per kilogram of green leaf processes owing to the farmers enhancing quality,” said Njeru.
He added that although there was less production following adverse weather conditions, factories in Embu achieved the best prices in the year through the Mombasa Tea Auction and the direct market.
Across the tea growing zones, Githunguri MP Gathoni Muchomba, was celebrated for educating the farmers over the impending dangers should the bill be passed into law.
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Njeru said the bill will levy factories at Ksh31 million annually for made tea at the rate of Ksh3.85 per kilogramme. Apart from other taxes, the tea levy will take Ksh2 billion from the 71 small holder tea factories.
Tea farmers in the counties of Embu and Murang’a, appealed to lawmakers from the tea producing counties to lead the way and salvage farmers from the york of desperation.
“These are many of the issues that have annoyed the tea farmers in their meetings and hope we have consultations with the parliament for the interest of the industry, “said Njeru.
At Gatunguru tea factory, the farmers said they will lobby among the MPs to ensure the bill is defeated owing to its negative implications.
They told factory chairman Mwangi Kaguma they will take personal initiative to reach all the seven MPs in Murang’a for the purpose of rejecting the bill they termed as punitive.
Kaguma said the DSS was rejected by coffee farmers after it was introduced in November last year.
Simon Daiga said it was regrettable that some MPs were unaware of the bill touching on tea being debated in the agriculture committee.
“It is unfortunate that some of the leaders said they will inquire more about the bill despite hailing from the tea producing zones,” said Daiga.
Esther Ng’aari said the farmers are against introduction of the draconian regulations designed to cause dispute thus calling for the removal of the clauses.
“The farmers are planning for a meeting to declare their opposition to the contentious bill designed to cripple the tea industry, especially the small scale holder,” she said.
At Njunu tea factory, Vice Chairman Maina Gathua called for the withdrawal of the bill citing it would plunge the sector into chaos.
“The farmers are in need of adequate fertilizer ahead of rains as they have invested in orthodox processing line,” said the vice chairman.
By A Correspondent
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