By Sean Ngirici/ The Mountain Journal
Tea market earned the factories Sh 769.7 million following purchase of 3,220,537kgs during the weekly auction in Mombasa.
The prices to the 70 factories registered a decline from the Sh880.7 million paid by the buyers last week.
In the analysis, the factories in the east of the rift, led in the posting better prices compared to those in the west of the rift.
The report by the Tea Brokers East Africa Limited Gathuthi led with payment of Sh 12.4 million after the sale of 38,548kgs, Kimunye Sh 10 million for 32,678kgs , Imenti Sh4.7 million for 15,492kgs, GacharageSh7.1 million for ,23,456kgs, Kathangariri Sh14.6 million for 48,356kgs.
Ohers are Mununga Sh8.6 million for 29,436 Kgs, Mungania Sh 22.5 million for 75,348kgs, Rukuriri Sh16.6 million for 55,542kgs among others.
Momul factory took the lead in the west of the rift as it earned Sh 11.9 million after the auction of 49,272kgs, as Kapsara earned the least Sh 4 million after the sale of 24,800kgs , followed by Kapko Sh4.8 million, Kapset Sh 4.9 million among others.
The report further divulged that in the east of the rift Michimikuru sold the highest 138,192kgs that earned Sh30.9 million, Ngere factory Sh 15.6 million after the auction of 52,920kgs, Njunu Sh9.3 million for 33,918kgs.
KTDA Zone six Board Member Enos Njeru and Tea Value Chain Expert Peter Karomo called for intensive search for the market as a strategy to improve the prices.
Njeru said in Embu the tea growers have maintained the quality of the product thus selling at the premium price at the auction.
“ We are proud that Rukuriri, Mungania and Kathangariri have remained among the producers of quality tea in the year,” said Njeru.
Karomo pleaded with the Ministry of Agriculture and Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) to search for more markets to address the flow of the produce in the warehouses.
‘It is the high time the authorities came out from the comfort of their offices to assist in the exploration of more markets,” said Karomo.
In the market, 48 buyers participated with Global tea 23,462 packets, Mitchell Cotts 11,260 packets, James Finlay 9,200 packets, Mombasa Coffee 8,760 packets.
At the auction, Kenya presented 6,891,192 kgs, Uganda 965,217kgs, Rwanda 489,880 kgs, and Malawi 8,320 kgs.
