KTDA to set minimum quality standards of tea to enhance competition

The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Holding has urged farmers to pick the best green leaf as it sets minimum quality standards in all tea processing factories.

KTDA Chairman Enos Njeru says this will ensure the competitiveness of Kenya's products in the global market and that ensures it remains the product of choice.

The move will reduce the volume of bulk teas stored in our warehouse, and KTDA will focus on diversifying its product range.

Njeru speaking during the opening of the KTDA Directors meeting in Mombasa, said plucking of quality green leaf led to the reduced overstocking of black CTC tea but also provide the market with a host of diverse products to meet their different tastes and preferences.

Farmers were encouraged to pluck the best quality tea, noting that the high volume of unsold tea has been exacerbated by poor quality, hawking of tea, use of machinery, handling of tea after harvesting and the abolishment of Direct Overseas sales (DSO) has affected the tea stocks.

KTDA has increased its monthly payments to motivate farmers. KTDA also embarks on sensitisation of farmers on best tea handling practices between the farm and the factory.

“Farmers who concentrate on quality rather than quantity are enjoying the results of the sales of their products,” said Njeru adding that favourable weather and the availability of rain have led to high production of tea.

In the function, Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) CEO Willy Mutai said 71 small-scale tea factories contribute 56 percent of the national crop production with last year producing 266 million kilogrammes of tea.

" At the end of the year we expect there will be a production of 319 million kilogrammes," he said.

“As a government regulator we would want to urge all people who are supplying tea they should meet the leave quality standard that is two leaves and a bud or a leaf which can attract a price,” said Mutai.