Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok and his Kericho counterpart Erick Mutai have raised concern over the large stock of unsold tea leaves from their regions, which has clocked over 45 million kilogrammes at the Mombasa Tea Auction Centre.
The two governors voiced their worries during a meeting held at a Bomet hotel with officials from the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), led by newly elected National Vice Chairman Erick Chepkwony.
The meeting was convened to brainstorm the crisis impacting tea farmers in the West of Rift region.
Governor Barchok expressed his deep concern over the backlog of tea, stating, “We are deeply concerned with reports that tea from our farmers remains unsold in the Mombasa Tea Auction over the past few weeks. This situation could result in significant losses for our hard-working farmers, who rely on this cash crop to make ends meet.”
In addition to the unsold tea, Prof. Barchok highlighted the financial challenges facing KTDA-owned factories in the region, which are burdened with substantial loans.
He revealed that the leadership of both counties is contemplating ways to approach President William Ruto to discuss a potential bailout for the struggling tea sector, akin to previous bailouts for the coffee and sugar industries.
“With the realisation that most of our KTDA factories are currently burdened with heavy loans, we have resolved to negotiate for a bailout of the tea sector by the national government, the same way other sectors of our economy have been supported,” Barchok explained.
Kericho Governor Dr. Erick Mutai also addressed the issue, emphasising the need for improvements in the quality of tea produced in the region.
He suggested that the Ministry of Agriculture should facilitate access to subsidised fertilisers and promote enhanced crop husbandry practices for the crop.
Additionally, Dr. Mutai called for the government to consider waiving loans owed by tea farmers to the Agricultural Finance Corporation.
He argued that such measures are essential to support the struggling tea sector, which plays a crucial role in the country’s economy.
The governors’ call for action stresses the critical situation facing tea farmers and the broader implications for the tea industry in Kenya.
As the two leaders prepare to engage with the national government, the anticipation among farmers from the region is that these combined efforts will lead to solutions that support the farmers and help revitalise the tea sector in the country.
By Lamech Willy.A
