Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) will pay tea farmers a record Sh3 billion in a mini bonus, marking one of the highest payments in the last five years.
The payment, which will be made available to farmers in the first week of April, will see farmers in Embu earning the highest amount of Sh10 per kilo, cementing their position as one of the best-paid growers in the country.
KTDA chairman David Ichoho attributed the delay in the payment to logistical challenges, stating that some factories had planned for the money to be released in May while others had slated for March.
"The board had to reach out to the factories board to agree on the actual time of release. Some factories had made resolutions as to when to release the mini bonus," he said.
According to Ichoho, farmers in Murang'a will earn the second highest mini-bonus of Sh7 per kilo, while factories in Kiambu will pay Sh6 for the same quantity.
Factories in the West of the rift will pay between Sh2 and Sh5 per kilo, a payment that has been a subject of controversy in the past.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya defended the earnings, stating that they are based on quality and efficiency.
"There have been a debate why factories from the east of rift earn more than the factories on the west, this is all based on efficiency and quality and has nothing to do with politics," he said.
