NAIROBI, Kenya- Anxiety is running high among Kenya’s tea farmers as factory directors and Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) officials deliberate on this year’s annual bonuses.
The eagerly awaited second payment, based on last year’s impressive green leaf production of over 1.4 million kilograms, is set to be distributed to 880,000 farmers by mid-October.
Tea factories across the country are reviewing their financial statements to finalize bonus declarations. The largest payout so far has come from Imenti Factory in Meru, which has announced a dividend of Sh60.30 per kilogram, a significant jump from last year’s Sh52.10.
As other factories follow suit, farmers are closely watching the developments, hoping for favorable returns after a year marked by strong production.
Imenti Factory’s impressive payout of Sh60.30 per kilogram comes after delivering 22.45 million kilograms of green leaf this year.
This marks a notable increase from the previous year’s payout, which stood at Sh52.10. The announcement has been met with celebration by farmers in Meru, led by Jamleck Mwarania, who praised their commitment to maintaining quality.
“In the year, despite various challenges, farmers remained focused on quality production, which attracted the best prices in the market,” said Mwarania in Meru town, reflecting on the year’s success.
His sentiments were echoed across other regions where tea farmers are eager to see how their respective factories will perform in terms of bonuses.
The KTDA Holdings board, led by Chairman Enos Njeru, has been holding meetings since last week to finalize the bonus declarations. According to Njeru, the meetings are expected to conclude by September 20.
This year’s bonus calculations are based on increased production levels, thanks to favorable weather conditions.
Njeru also emphasized the agency’s efforts to ensure that Kenyan farmers continue producing high-quality tea for international markets, which has helped reduce old stock in warehouses.
He noted that the recent arrival of 47,400 tonnes of fertilizer at the Mombasa port will be distributed to counties, enabling farmers to improve the quality of future harvests.
In Kiambu County, Kambaa Factory has completed its bonus declaration, with farmers set to receive Sh50.65 per kilogram of green leaf.
Other factories in the region, including Theta/Ndarugu (Sh50), Mataara (Sh48.10), Kagwe (Sh44.25), and Gachege (Sh46.30), have also approved their payouts, sparking discussions among farmers about production quality and market prices.
On the western side of the Rift Valley, Momul Tea Factory will share Sh1.8 billion with farmers at a rate of Sh50.30 per kilogram, up from Sh44.80 the previous year.
Similarly, in Murang’a County, Githambo Tea Factory has approved a payment of Sh42 per kilogram for the 25 million kilos of green leaf delivered.
As the bonus declaration process wraps up, tea farmers across Kenya are waiting anxiously to learn their final payouts.
