Tea plucking machines to be introduced to farmers

Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) will be introducing tea plucking machines in factories across the country, Agriculture CS has said.

CS Peter Munya said that a few farmers have been using them, but the Ministry is encouraging more farmers to buy the machines to save on time and labour costs.

Munya spoke on Monday during the launch of the tea industry price stabilization framework.

“I expect KTDA board to ensure every tea zone has some farmers using machines in the next two weeks on a pilot basis before it is spread to all farmers. KTDA will equally start training farmers on how to use the machines,” he said.

Munya however told KTDA to reduce the price of the plucking machine to a price that is affordable to farmers. The machine is currently selling Sh25, 000.   

The CS pointed out that it is not mandatory for farmers to use the machines, but farmers are being encouraged to buy them to reduce on time used in manual plucking of tea and also help to safeguard the health of the farmers who pluck tea on a daily basis. 

He said this is not in conflict with the labour laws as it is meant to enhance efficiency and ensure good returns to the farmers.

Munya said this is one of the key recommendations in the Tea Industry Price Stabilization Framework report.

Price stabilization is one of the critical reform agendas for the tea industry envisaged under the Tea Act, 2020.

The Tea Act, 2020 provides for a Tea Levy to be levied on exports and imports of tea.

Part of this levy will be utilized towards income or price stabilization for the tea growers.

The CS mentioned that the reforms are meant to address various challenges facing the tea sub-sector thereby threatening its competitiveness and sustainability in every part of the value chain.

Irungu Nyakera, chairman of the Price Stabilization Committee said some of the key challenges at the tea processing level are unsustainable production costs.

These he said are attributed mainly to rising labour wages, high cost of machinery, transport and energy costs, low levels of value addition and product diversification, inefficiencies in production and marketing systems.

Nyakera said in order to reduce production costs and increase productivity at the farm level, the Committee has recommended that the Government facilitates the introduction of machines for plucking and pruning.

He said the Ministry should work with industry players to develop guidelines on the use of mechanical tea harvesting equipment in order to save on labour costs.

Munya said the ministry is also in the process of reestablishing the Tea Research Foundation which will help in the introduction of new tea clones to replace the old bushes.

“The Ministry will continue to strengthen industry governance and regulatory capacity by enhancing the capacity and funding levels to the Tea Board of Kenya and in the re-establishment of the Tea Research Foundation,” he added.