KTDA directors drawn from tea growing counties in the East of the Rift Valley have dismissed sentiments by Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Kiprono Rono over payment of tea bonus.
The directors who met in Murang’a on Tuesday said PS Rono upset tea farmers with claims that bonus payment from factories in West of Rift Valley was added to the factories in East of the Rift Valley thus posting a better payout.
They said bonus for farmers allied to KTDA factories in Meru, Murang’a, Kiambu, Nyeri, Embu and Kirinyaga were high based on the quality of tea they produce.
The directors argued that tea factories West of Rift Valley, majorly focus on quantity and not quality saying farmers East of Rift adhere to guidelines that ensure they produce high quality green leaf.
Led by Gatundu South MP Gabriel Kagombe, John Mithamo and Enos Njeru, the directors observed that Rono’s sentiments can fuel a disconnect between farmers in the East of the Rift and West of the Rift over this year’s low bonus payment.
Kangombe said the factories within East and West of Rift have been working harmoniously as they also engage in inter-factories borrowing.
The MP, who is also the chairperson of Zone 1 in Kiambu disclosed that through inter-factories borrowing, the factories in the West of the Rift owe those in the East Sh14.7 billion as per September 30.
“On the other hand, in the borrowing arrangement, tea factories in the East owe those in the West of the Rift, Sh422 million,” Kagombe added.
He further noted the inter-factories borrowing was recently stopped and replaced by a Sh21 billion kitty at Kenya Commercial Bank with KTDA as guarantor.
Kagombe said tea directors West of the Rift should rally farmers to produce high quality tea which fetches better payments.
The directors also refuted claims that hydro power stations established in their zones were established through the deductions from the factories in the west.
They noted that factories East of the Rift mobilized funds to establish the hydro power stations with the aim to reduce the cost of processing tea.
“The West should focus on tea quality and reduce playing politics. The former Agriculture CS Peter Munya acted to ensure quality in tea,” said Njeru.
Enos Njeru said the government should reduce taxes levied on tea, noting that there are more than 40 taxes levied on the crop.
He requested President William Ruto to convene a meeting with tea directors following the alarming tea hawking in West of the Rift, where reports made are not acted upon.
“Those playing politics with the tea should cease as in the past 70 years, the farmers have worked in harmony. We shall not allow anyone to plant a discord between factories in the east and west of the rift,” added Njeru.
The directors also demanded a return of the Rainforest Alliance certification that assisted the produce fetch better prices in the market.
They noted that the certification had marketed the product in the premier markets thus earning better payment.
Gerald Ngumba said the farmers were only seeking the providers to lower certification fees but not to remove it from the tea sector.
By Bernard Munyao
