President William Ruto has lauded the subsidised fertiliser initiative to increase tea earnings by Ksh30 billion in the past year.
Speaking at an international tea market launch on Wednesday, Ruto hinted at the government's intention to expand the tea farming sector by setting up a factory to produce fertiliser specifically suitable for tea.
"Thanks to subsidised fertiliser, the President said tea earnings are set to hit Ksh210 billion this year, up from Ksh180 billion last year and Ksh140 billion in 2022," he said.
The government has been moving to revamp the country's tea and coffee farming sector to add value, create jobs, and create wealth.
With an emphasis on value addition, Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) is set to upgrade its facilities, automate its processes, and support other smaller factories to add value and brand the agency's teas. This will even further boost tea revenue in the coming years.
Additionally, the government has set aside Ksh1 billion to boost tea value addition. This cash will help construct two value addition and branding centers for Kenyan tea.
In the launch, there was a rallying call to support macro and micro-small enterprises to utilise the facilities the government in collaboration with the agricultural ministry, has set.
"I want you to find ways of supporting our micro and small enterprises to take advantage of this common user facility so that we can expand the branding and value addition that is already going on," he said.
At the same time, Ruto disclosed the government has reached a partnership agreement with Lipton Tea to set up a fertiliser factory in Kenya. The agreement between the two partners will result in setting up a factory to produce fertiliser specifically suitable for tea and support a tea research program at Kabianga University in Kericho.
This partnership will enhance the promotion of Kenya tea brands. For years, Lipton Teas was marketed and sold globally as "English Breakfast Tea," yet wholly produced in Kenya, thus denying the country recognition of a crop it produces.
Any brand produced going forward will now be rebranded and sold with the tag "Origin of Kenya."
This comes a few months after the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi rebutted fake fertiliser distribution in the country.
The CS dismissed the allegations as propaganda citing it as misinformation.
Linturi's statements came amid mounting pressure on government officials to address the issue.
