Kenya Orders Tea Factories to Reject Poor Quality Leaves
Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe directs factories to refuse substandard tea to protect prices, as government invests billions in modernization and quality improvement.
Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe directs factories to refuse substandard tea to protect prices, as government invests billions in modernization and quality improvement.
· Updated
Kenyan tea factories have been directed to reject substandard tea leaves delivered by farmers. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe warned that mixing poor-quality leaves with good ones downgrades the entire factory's output, resulting in lower prices for all farmers.
Kagwe emphasized that only tea meeting the 'two leaves and a bud' standard should be accepted. He cited Momul Tea Factory, which increased its earnings from $2 to over $3 per kilogram after improving leaf quality.
The directive coincides with a government factory modernization drive worth Ksh 7.1 billion, aimed at enhancing tea quality, reducing production costs, and increasing farmer income. Kagwe stated that modern machinery investments must be matched by improved leaf quality to avoid lower international market prices.
The government's strategy focuses on creating a growth cycle involving modern factories, better leaf quality, higher-value teas, and market diversification. Kagwe highlighted the need to seek additional markets for premium Kenyan tea to ensure higher prices and better bonuses for farmers.
FAQ
Why are tea factories rejecting poor quality leaves?
Rejecting substandard leaves prevents the downgrading of entire factory batches, which protects prices for compliant farmers.
What is the government's investment in tea modernization?
The government is rolling out a Ksh 7.1 billion factory modernization drive to improve tea quality and reduce production costs.
