This archive report was first published on 8 July 2019.
Seventeen companies have applied for licences to deal with tea, but their quest for approval is not yet complete. The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has given Kenyans 14 days to raise their objections in granting licences to the companies.
According to a Kenya Gazette notice, the firms are seeking to be issued with licences to venture into processing and packaging activities, with most of them registered to operate in Nairobi. Two firms, Horera Tea and Mara Tea Factories, are based in Nyeri and Narok counties respectively, and are seeking licences for processing tea. Greenfield Tea Factory in Bomet County is seeking authority to venture into the tea packing category.
The regulator's interim director, Antony Mureithi, emphasized the importance of licensing in the tea and coffee trade. 'Those contravening the law are dealt with to ensure there is sanity in the sectors,' he said.
The firms had applied for licensing before they were inspected by the Tea Directorate to ensure they meet the necessary standards set by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Published on July 8, 2019.
