By MTK Correspondent
The Kenyan Tea is an integral part of the country’s heritage and liberation history.
100 years since tea growing and production was commercialised, remarkable strides have been made and the country produces the best.
The tea is ranked top globally due to its quality, bold flavour and consistency, and generates close to KSh200B in foreign exchange earnings annually, accounting for 2 per cent of our Country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
600M kilograms of tea is produced in the Country every year and this production will be further enhanced through strategic policy and administrative interventions, including provision of subsidised fertiliser, to ensure that all stakeholders, and particularly the farmers, receive value from their hardwork.
In the last two years, the government has made available over 180,000 metric tonnes of subsidised fertiliser and made it accessible to farmers at a cost of KSh2,500 per 50kg bag. This year, the government will spend KSh2B to support the distribution of 97,000 metric tonnes of subsidised fertiliser to tea farmers.
The Kenyan Tea is a key anchor of the Country’s sustainability and environmental conservation.
It has also supported the education sector and the rural economy as a major source of income and employment.
To enhance the performance of the tea sector, legal and institutional reforms are ongoing and the government will ensure their strict enforcement to safeguard the interests of farmers.
Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki officially opened the Kenyan Tea Centenary Celebrations and Summit in Mombasa County.
He was accompanied by among others Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Dr. Andrew Karanja, Principal Secretaries; Dr. Kiprono Paul Rono (Agriculture) and Mary Muthoni (Public Health), John Mutunga (Chairman, Agriculture Committee in the National Assembly), Alexander Mundigi (Vice Chair, Senate Agriculture Committee), Senators Wahome Wamatinga (Nyeri), David Wakoli (Bungoma), Beth Syengo (Nominated), National Assembly Members; Ruweida Obo (Lamu East), Githinji Gichimu (Gichugu), and Joseph Cherorot (Kiplelion East), Kenya Tea Board Chairman Jacob Kahiu, Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) Chairman Enos Njeru and other tea industry stakeholders in attendance.
Elizabeth Angira