Leaders Raised Concerns Over Illegal Tea Hawking In The County

Kerugoya

Thursday, August 3, 2023

KNA by Mutai Kipngetich

The leaders are now challenging the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) to avail operating licenses of individuals acting in private capacity who were unprocedurally buying tea from registered farmers.

The small-scale farmers are registered to sell their green tea leaves to the County factories under the KTDA Zone five but not to individuals who deceptively have been buying the produce at a throw away price.

Led by Kirinyaga Central MP Gachoki Gitari, the leaders decried that Zone five factories are losing over a million kilograms of leaf to the illegal tea processors who are buying the produce for as low as Sh.15 to Sh.25 per kilogram of fresh leaf.

The MP wondered why the individuals have repeatedly and without care been carrying out the notorious business despite several warnings from the Zone Five directors.

He now wants the Tea Board of Kenya which is mandated to issue licenses to Tea processors to shed more light on the status of the licenses issued to the said individuals and why they are illegally buying tea from registered farmers mandated to only sell their produce to zone five factories despite the directors having raised concerns.

Additionally, the legislator called on the County Commissioner and the Police through the office of the County Police Commander to act with speed and bring to book all the people involved in the illegal hawking.

Speaking at Kimunye, Gichugu, Gachoki cautioned that all Kirinyaga leaders are solidly rallying behind the directors in agitating a stop to the illegal operations. 

“We have information that one of the notorious buyers was recently arrested in Gichugu and released unconditionally. The mystery however is how the individual continues operating like he is above the law,” he said.

The legislator noted that the practice risks watering down all the gains made as far as efforts to resuscitate the Tea Sector are concerned. Moreover, he decried that the hawking could encourage Tea theft over an increased demand of Kirinyaga grown tea due to its high quality and taste.

“Kirinyaga is ranked as having one of the best Tea in terms of quality and taste. It is regrettable that this illegality is taking place and should we allow it to continue, there will be increased cases of tea theft in the County,” he said

“Statistics reveal that last season, Thumaita tea factory, which is one of the factories under zone five, lost about a million kilograms of tea leaves to an individual tea processor.

He further advised farmers to refrain from being lured into selling their leaf at a meagre price saying that is tantamount to exploitation as the individual processor is making a kill with their tea at the expense of their hard work.

“Quick money is not always rewarding. Let us sell our tea within the confines of our laws because your produce fetches a better price if managed and paid by KTDA. Through the pay and the bonuses you earn, you are able to adequately meet your families’ needs,” he said.

His sentiments were echoed by his Gichugu counterpart Gichimu Githinji who advised farmers to keep off tea brokers who only want to exploit them and deny them an opportunity to thrive through their ventures.

“I want to urge farmers to be content with what they earn per month through the sale of their produce to their respective factories. The brokers are here to exploit you by way of buying your leaf at a cheap price and thereafter sell the produce at an exorbitant price therefore leaving you hopeless,” he cautioned.

Gichimu said the Tea act warns against tea hawking and as such vowed to in partnership with other local leaders to institute charges against the perpetrators as encouraging such an illegality could risk spelling doom to the tea sector.

Michael Nduia, a local farmer, called for increased security of their tea bushes saying the practice could render more farmers to start counting losses.

He said some of the vehicles belonging to the said brokers have been spotted by locals in various parts of the County buying tea leaves from farmers. He added that many farmers are now sacrificing their sleep-in order to guard their tea bushes at night as the ongoing operations could trigger tea theft. 

Courtesy ; K. N. A