Imenti Tea Factory in Meru County.
By The Peak
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has announced that Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) factories have recorded a turnover of Ksh95.3 billion in 2023 compared to Ksh93.2 billion last year.
Speaking during the announcement of the final payment of bonuses to small-scale holder tea farmers at his official residence in Karen, Gachagua said a growth of 2.28 percent with the total payment to farmers grew by 7.6 percent reaching 67.7 billion.
He said the average rate for green leaf per kilogram delivered to factories grew by 18 percent to reach Ksh59.1 compared to last year which was Ksh50.14.
Gachagua said the three top-performing factories in the annual combined earnings are Gitugi Tea Factory in Nyeri County which registered an impressive Ksh78.3 per kilogram an increment of 26 percent.
The factory is also the country’s leading processor of Orthodox Tea whose consumption is on a steady rise across the world.
Imenti Tea Factory in Meru County paid farmers Ksh73.1 per kilogram while Michiimikuru Tea Factory in the same county paid Ksh68.
“From this year’s results it is exciting to note that even the lowest factories such as Nyankoba in Nyamira County, Kapsara in Trans Nzoia County and Kiamokama in Kisii County registered an improvement,” said DP Gachagua.
The DP lauded the farmers of the improved factories and asked them to keep up noting that besides empowering farmers, the reason President William Ruto’s administration is taking seriously the implementation of the sector reforms in order to contribute to rebuilding the economy.
