Small-scale tea farmers supplying green leaves to a private factory in Bomet have been granted bonuses and other benefits.
The agreement by the factory to pay bonuses followed the county's threat of closure and other legal consequences if farmers were not paid.
MCA Josephat Kirui also said the Ndarawetta Tea Factory lso agreed to supply sanitiser and other personal protective equipment to its farmers to help fight the spread of the coronavirus
County officials led by Agriculture CEC Kipchumba Towett, Patrick Maritim (administration), MCA Kirui and farmers’ representatives met on Monday at the county offices.
Representatives from the factory, however, skipped the meeting but sent a letter stating they will pay their members their dues.
The letter from the factory MD Sachin Patel did not indicate how much it will be paying or when, Towett said.
Sources told the Star, however, the factory will pay Sh1.50 for the cumulative kilos of tea supplied by farmers.
“We were to meet them again today (Monday but we received a letter from them saying they will not attend and they have held talks with the board of directors and have agreed to pay farmers their money,” Towett told reporters after the meeting.
In the letter, Towett said the factory did not say when it will pay the farmers but said they will engage them over the matter.
He said a new policy will be put in place by the county government to ensure private tea factories make rational payments.
Kirui expressed satisfaction, saying despite the factory agreeing to pay a little, they have made great strides.
He said they will soon be meeting with the farmers so the cooperative society that the county registered for them is operational to help farmers.
He said with the cooperative in place, issues of payment and unemployment at the factory can be easily addressed.
(Edited by V.Vraham)
