Tea farmers in the larger Gusii region have identified challenges currently facing the crop, that if resolved, could spell a bright future for the industry.
A long time Nyamira county tea farmer, turned local investor Stephen Mogeni claimed that the current crisis the industry is undergoing could be tackled by the state by encouraging more farmers intensify the production.
Mogeni who established the Mogeni Tea Factory cited poor tea proceeds, a lack of market and the high cost of energy as the constraints.
Other problems Mogeni said were to do with climate change, diminishing wood fuel and poor road network.
According to him, last year’s tea bonuses for the region hit their lowest with a kilogram of tea earning only Sh8 as opposed to Sh32 earned elsewhere in the country.
Mogeni attributed the low prices to a lack of market for the crop owing to overproduction, and the political instability in Arab countries who were major consumers of Kenyan tea. Mogeni urged the government to source for new markets including the USA, where it had not ventured before.
Mogeni has also petitioned the government to consider reducing the power cost, thanking the government for reviewing downwards the cost of petroleum products.
Observing that climate change had been responsible for low tea production in some seasons, Mogeni called for intensified forestation to alleviate the effects and provide the much needed wood fuel for the factory.
Mogeni Tea Factory, a private investment of over Sh600 million is a digital plant that engages minimal labor from withering to packaging stages. It also utilizes electricity, diesel and wood fuel as power sources.
Mogeni stated that it was incumbent upon the government to improve road infrastructure if the farmers who delivered their green leaf at the factory were to benefit from the crop. Mogeni explained that his 80,000 tons capacity factory processed three grades of black tea (CTC) within two hours, and plans were underway to raise its capacity to 120,000 tons.
Mogeni hinted that in future, he might consider going in for green tea production which he said fetched high prices the world market.