Kenya Tea and Development Agency (KTDA), in a bid to curb the practice of leaf hawking, has increased payouts to farmers in areas with rampant cases of leaf hawking.
This will see farmers in the areas where leaf hawking was on the rise receive an additional payment of between 1 and 2 shillings.
Peter Kanyago, the KTDA national chairman, said the agency had resolved to pay farmers between 17 shillings and 18 shillings per kilo of the green leaf as from July.
“We have conducted a survey of payment to farmers through the directors of their factories combined with one by the ministry and agreed on a price review that is best beneficial to the farmers,” said Mr Kanyago during a meeting at Ragati Tea Factory in Nyeri.
In Kakamega, Murang’a North, Nyamira, Kisii, Trans Nzoia, Vihiga and Nandi, farmers will receive 17 shillings for their produce. in Bomet and Kericho however, farmers will receive 18 shillings per kilo of green leaf.
Those in Kiambu, Murang’a South, Nyeri, Embu and Meru will continue receiving 16 shillings for their produce.
The chairman said that they were still in consultation about farmers in Kirinyaga county.
“We are increasing farmers payments so that we can avoid a split in the sale of the leaves where farmers are choosing to sell their produce to hawkers,” said Mr Kanyago.
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