By Rogers Aghan, February, 8, 2023, Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has ultimately disbursed payments for the green leaf delivered by famers in the month of January 2023.
Farmers associated with KTDA could look forward to receiving these funds from February 9.
“Farmers will access Sh2.47 billion paid for 120 million Kgs of green leaf delivered to factories managed by the agency,” KTDA reiterated in a statement in a statement on Wednesday.
The delay in payment for January green leaf has been attributed to a hitch in system functionality, which KTDA assured had been rectified.
The payments for should be done every fifth day of the month for previous deliveries as suggested in the amendments done last year, which is an elevation from the previous payments done every 20th of the successive month.
This issuance follows the Sh5.5 billion payment done last month for the mini-bonus and December 2022 green leaf deliveries.
“KTDA is committed to the well-being of the farmers and pursuits to continue maintaining and improving their interests,” endeavors to continually maintain and improve farmer’s interests,” KTDA said.
The board acceded to an increase in monthly disbursements for farmers in KTDA regions by 11-17 percent.
KTDA regions five based farmers from Bomet and Kericho counties currently earn Sh20 per kilo of green leaf delivered, up from Sh18 made in the past.
Farmers in region sic from Nyamira and Kisii, and region seven, from Nandi, Trans-Nzoia, and Vihiga also earn Sh20 per kilo of the green leaf up from Sh17.
Nearly 60 percent of Kenya’s tea production, four percent of the gross domestic product, and over 15 percent of the global tea exports is attributed to the smallholder tea sub-sector thereby providing tea to many tea packers globally.
The factories are based in rural settings thus creating employment for individuals from these areas and consequently boosting infrastructure.
These farmers generate over one billion kilos of green leaf yearly, with last financial year’s production constituting 1.3 billion kilograms.
