Tea farmers to earn record Sh44b in bonus despite global shocks

Small-scale farmers affiliated to Kenya Tea Development Agency Holdings (KTDA) will from next week start receiving a second payment of Sh44.15 billion for the financial year ended June 30, 2023.

The payment popularly known as bonus increased from Sh37.11 billion recorded in 2021/22 financial year accounting a 19 per cent growth.

This is the highest earnings to have been recorded in the last four production years and more so happening once a year after the government introduced far reaching reforms in the subsector. 

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua while making the announcement at his official residence –Karen, Nairobi attributed the increase to various factors including favourable exchange rate and high demand of the crop in the international market.

“Despite the global shocks  and interruption of key export destinations and severe drought that ravaged the country in 2022, our tea fetched high prices and thus led to impressive eariongs to our farmers.,” he said.