Kenyan tea factories to begin rejecting poor quality leaves
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has directed tea factories to reject substandard tea delivered by farmers across the country. He warned that when poor-quality leaf from a few farmers is mixed and processed together with good-quality leaf delivered by compliant farmers, the entire factory’s tea is downgraded and everybody receives a lower […] The post Kenyan…
Kenyan tea factories are set to reject poor quality leaves, according to Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe. Kagwe warned that mixing low-quality leaf with high-quality leaf can downgrade the entire factory's tea, resulting in a lower price for everyone. He emphasized that "two leaves and a bud" is the standard for quality tea.
Momul Tea Factory, which was previously earning around $2 per kilogramme, now fetches more than $3 per kilogramme after improving its green-leaf quality. The Kenyan government is investing Ksh 7.1 billion in factory modernisation to boost tea quality, cut costs, and increase farmers' income. Kagwe stressed that modernising factories alone is not enough; farmers must also deliver better-quality green leaf.
The strategy aims to create a cycle of growth in the tea industry, with modern factories, higher-value teas, and better market diversification. Kagwe called for aggressive expansion into new international markets to ensure that increased volumes of premium Kenyan tea result in higher prices and better bonuses for farmers. At Kapsara Tea Factory, Kagwe invested Ksh 44.6 million for a new withering plant installation.
Written by urgent.news from KBC's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
