Tea Board outlaws green leaf hawking

In the statement issued by the Tea Board of Kenya, it warned growers and factories engaging in illegal hawking of green leaf tea that contravention of this law attracted a fine of up to Sh500,000, 10 years imprisonment or both.

In addition to this, tea growers who commit the offence would have their registration revoked, whereas factories would have their licenses suspended.

Mrs Kariuki said the board would join forces with security and law enforcement agencies in these affected districts to bring the offenders to book and stop the illegal practice.

Tea factories have in the past complained over illegal hawking of green leaf tea.

The beneficiaries of the illicit trade are usually private tea factories.

This has caused huge losses to the small factories as some are forced to operate below capacity.

The private factories have been accused of perpetuating the illegal trade by accepting to process tea which does not fall under their jurisdiction.