Stakeholders in tea
sector have continued pleading with government
to review some of the proposed reform.
The directors of tea
factories in Embu County made a passionate appeal to Ministry of Agriculture to consider reviewing some of the reforms
in the regulations to save the sectors
from losing the international market.
They said whereas
the Crops (Tea Industry) Regulations, 2020 have sections that favours
the growers starting next year, some proposals would bring down the small scale
tea sector.
KTDA Board member
Samuel Ireri and Mungania Tea Factory Director Samuel John Njagi, said the proposal to abolish the direct
overseas sales (DSO) so that all tea sales go through the
Mombasa auction should be reviewed.
They said there are two major international traders who
buy tea from Mungani Factory at a premium price.
“Agriculture Cabinet
Secretary Peter Munya should allow Mungania and other factories that have links
with the international market to continue selling our tea directly,” he said.
Njagi Chairman of
Mungania Fair Trade Organisation said through direct sales they get an extra 50
cents per kilo of tea sold.
Fairtrade, he said has helped to initiate
community based projects that include building of schools among others. The
directors spoke at Kiriari Primary School while issuing 10,000 face masks to
tea farmers, equipment to health facilities and schools and desks worth Sh400,000
to schools, all financed through FairTrade Organisation
“We appeal to the
government to look into our concerns and allow direct sales to continue. The
direct sales ,” he said.
They noted that tea
production in the country, has risen this year, with Mungania Factory attaining
24.2 million kilograms compared to 17.8 million kilogrammes of green leaf
delivered last year.
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