This archive report was first published on 26 September 2021.
Kenya's tea farmers are set to benefit from a fertilizer subsidy worth Sh1 billion, announced by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya on September 26, 2021.
The subsidy aims to reduce the cost of fertilizer by Sh600 per 50kg bag, from Sh3,073 to Sh2,473, making it more affordable for the 600,000 small-scale tea farmers in the country.
According to Munya, the retail price for fertilizer had increased by 54% from Sh1,996 in 2019 to Sh3,073 in 2021, making it unsustainable for farmers who were operating at a loss.
Through the subsidization, KTDA will work together with Kenya Railways to shoulder the port and transport costs of the imported fertilizer on SGR from Mombasa to Naivasha to the respective factories, as well as transport tea from Naivasha to Mombasa for auction to the export markets.
Emily Kirui, a tea farmer, expressed her appreciation for the subsidy, saying it would greatly reduce her input costs from Sh16,000 to Sh11,200.
Small-scale farmers account for more than half of Kenya's total tea output, and fertilizer application is key to quality leaf production. Kenya is the leading exporter of black tea, selling 95% of tea leaves to the world market.
