Small scale tea farmers contracted to the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA)'s Itumbe Tea Factory in Sameta Sub-county are counting losses, following prolonged drought reported in the area.
Some of the farmers, who spoke to our reporter expressed concern over dropping yields of their crop, and wondered how they will address their immediate family needs as their incomes from tea farming were the only source of their livelihood.
Annah Mongina, a farmer contracted to the Factory through Nyakegogi Tea Buying Centre in the area laments that her crop yields had dropped drastically, and she is worried how she will offset her fertilizer debt she owes KTDA Company.
“I procured twelve bags of fertilizer for my tea bushes, but the trend at which the production is taking worries me how the debt will be settled without enough tea hrvest,” lamented Mongina.
Moffat Moindi, another farmer in the area is also a worried man, since her family depends on income from tea farming, and yet the drought has affected his crop production negatively.
Moindi regrets that her child, who is in a local academy, relies on the tea proceeds for school fees and other needs, which he says will be difficult to realize if the prolonged drought in the region continues affecting tea production.
He also raises concern on the fate of the debt of three bags of fertilizer he procured from KTDA for his tea bushes, saying at the end of the year his tea bonus proceeds will be low beyond his expectations.