Court cases filed by various individuals and parties opposed to the new tea regulations are slowing down the full implementation of reforms in the industry.
This was disclosed yesterday by Agricultural Parliamentary Committee member, Konoin MP Brighton Yegon.
He said that once fully realized, all loopholes which have over the years seen small scale tea farmers lose their money will be sealed.
He said that only 20 per cent of it have so far been realized.
He claimed those who have been benefiting through shady deals from the commodity at the expense of tea farmers moved to court to have it stopped hence affecting the realization of the changes.
Yegon, however, pointed out there has been tremendous efforts made so far since the new regulations were effected.
Speaking during a meeting to train youth and women groups on avocado farming, the parliamentarian called on the parties to withdraw the cases and support the government in seeing the restructurings succeed.
“These reforms are aimed at ensuring farmers reap maximum benefits from their crop, they have for long suffered but we are happy once we attain 100 percent in its implementation, it will be an advantage to them,” he stated.
He added, “We want to urge those who filed suits in court challenging some sections in the Act to withdraw and agree to work with us on this journey.”
Bomet governor Hillary Barchok is among those who filed the cases in the high court where he is opposed to a section barring direct tea sales.
In the new Act, all teas are set to be sold through the Mombasa auction.
The government has already set a minimum reserve price in which the tea is to be sold for at the auction something agriculture cabinet secretary Peter Munya said has seen tea prices greatly improve.
