Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mithika Linturi has urged tea factories in the country to consider tapping into the production of Orthodox tea as opposed to CTC in order to fetch good returns.
Speaking at the Githongo Tea Factory during a farmers’ sensitisation forum, Linturi assured farmers of good returns from Orthodox tea, adding that this is where the world is and where the tea market is heading.
Orthodox tea refers to loose leaf tea produced using traditional (orthodox) methods, which involve plucking, withering, rolling, oxidation/fermentation, and drying.
On the other hand, CTC (Crush, Tear, and Curl, or Cut, Tear, and Curl) is a method of processing black tea in which tea leaves are passed through a series of cylindrical rollers with serrated blades that crush, tear, and curl the tea into small, even-shaped pellets.
“I have visited various tea markets in the world, and I have confirmed what I am telling you. Even without more explanations, the last bonus and even the one to be released this year, if you look at the payments of factories producing orthodox tea, you will notice a difference, especially where factories have been able to maintain the quality,” said Mr. Linturi.
Githongo Tea Factory has started on a project to install Orthodox tea mills, and the CS is committed to helping them succeed in the project.
“If you are devoted and you want to initiate such a project, I want to assure you that this is the right direction, and we will do what we can as a government for you so you can get to the level where others are,” Linturi said.
He said the government has a clear focus on ensuring tea farmers get good money for their labour but urged them to work closely with the government to realise the dream of giving farmers the best price possible.
Meanwhile, the CS called on farmers to vote wisely in the factory directors’ elections set for June 28, dismissing rumours that the government has preferred candidates for the positions.
“The government of Kenya has no preferred candidates in the coming elections, where farmers will elect leaders who will lead factories across the country. The elections will be free and fair and will be conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
He said that the days of forcing and coercing tea factory managers and other officials on farmers are long gone.
The CS was accompanied by Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) Chief Executive Officer Wilson Thuranira and his Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) counterpart Willy Mutai.
By Dickson Mwiti
