Tea growers protest at layoffs and low wages

“Apart from providing fuel for dying of tea leaves, eucalyptus trees are fetches good prices due to its fast maturing rate,” says Samuel Kirui, a manager with one of the tea factories in Nandi.

Most of the tea companies have switched to wood fuel to cut down on operational costs following increased electricity bills .

“Tea farming is no longer a major profit making venture like it was before. It has been over taken by other businesses like diary farming and horticulture which attracts better profits,” says Joel Marindany from Chepkumia, Nandi District.

The row in the tea industry has been complicated further by high cost of fertiliser imported Kenya Tea development Authority (KTDA) recently.

Whereas the agency says the inputs will be sold at Sh2, 200 agriculture minister William Ruto insists that the fertiliser will be sold at Sh2, 000 for a 50 kilogramme bag.

Mr Ruto says the move is aimed at protecting tea farmers from exploitation from greedy directors.

He accuses the agency of failure to solve problems facing small scale farmers after the directors went ahead and imported expensive fertiliser.

Mr Ruto has warned of stern measures against the management board of KTDA unless it reduces the fertiliser prices and address issues affecting tea farmers.