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The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has reiterated its commitment to placing the interests of smallholder tea farmers at the forefront, promising timely payments and improved support to empower them.
In a recent statement, KTDA announced that farmers would receive their fertilizer suspense refunds alongside the Green Leaf (GL) payment by January 5, 2025. This follows the procurement of 98,988 metric tons (MT) of fertilizer for the year, with the final batch of 8,000 MT expected to reach farmers by the first week of December 2024. A reconciliation process will then determine the refund amount due to each farmer.
This year, a 50kg bag of NPK fertilizer was procured at Ksh 3,400 through competitive bidding. However, thanks to a Ksh 2 billion subsidy provided by the Government of Kenya in November 2024, the price was reduced to Ksh 2,500 per bag, significantly easing the burden on tea farmers.
“The Management of KTDA is grateful to the Government for the subsidy that led to reduced costs of fertilizers and hence better payments to farmers,” the agency stated, acknowledging the role of government support in improving farmer welfare.
KTDA’s efforts to reduce costs and streamline operations aim to ensure that tea farmers see tangible benefits, empowering them to thrive in a competitive market. These measures underscore KTDA’s dedication to ensuring that farmers not only sustain their livelihoods but also achieve greater prosperity in the long term.
