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Small-scale tea farmers will get subsidised fertilisers after the first batch of 47,300 tonnes of NPK fertiliser docked at the Mombasa Port in readiness for dispatch to farmers ahead of the short rains.

This is the first of two batches of a total of nearly 97,000 tonnes procured by Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) on behalf of over 680,000 smallholder tea farmers.

 According to KTDA Group CEO Wilson Muthaura, the NPK 26:5:5 chemically compounded fertiliser will be bagged at the port and distributed to farmers through their respective factories, ensuring efficient and timely delivery for farm application.

“The modalities for offloading, bagging and transporting the fertiliser upcountry are already in place for seamless delivery to farmers. Our tea extension officers are also ready to engage farmers on application of the fertilizer to achieve best results in their farms,” he said.

The procured fertiliser is an increase from the 88,000 tonnes procured last year, a rise that reflects the expansion of smallholder tea acreage and a growing preference among organisations and individuals outside the KTDA network to place their orders through the Agency.

Muthaura stated that the final cost of the fertiliser which will be bagged in 50kg and 25kg bags will be determined by the cost of natural gas (a key component in manufacturing NPK fertiliser), exchange rates, shipment costs, marine and overland insurance costs, as well as clearing and transportation costs to the respective tea factories.

“Applying fertiliser at the start of the short rains is crucial for maintaining the high quality and quantity of green leaf required for premium tea production,” he noted.

KTDA procures fertiliser in bulk through competitive international bidding, benefiting more than 680,000 small-scale tea farmers who are shareholders of its managed factories.