Tea sector stakeholders have raised alarm over delays in fertiliser distribution and what they describe as increasing burdens placed on farmers, warning that the situation is slowing down production and diminishing farmer earnings.

Speaking at Thumaita Tea Factory during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, Chairman Richard Magu called on the government to ensure fertilizer is supplied to tea farmers on time, saying this year’s delays have already exposed growers to significant losses.

“Farmers are already recording losses because fertiliser did not arrive when they needed it most,” Magu said.

Magu challenged KTDA Holdings, insisting the agency must take responsibility for the setbacks currently affecting the sector. He noted that the structures currently in place are not benefiting farmers, pointing out that many growers have recorded a drop in production of nearly 30 per cent, a decline he directly linked to delayed farm inputs.
He said the factory will be writing an official letter to KTDA Holdings demanding immediate action on fertiliser delivery. Magu warned that if KTDA fails to respond within 21 days, the factory will stop purchasing fertiliser through them and instead source it directly, as it has done before, to shield farmers from further losses.

“If KTDA does not give us a satisfactory response within 21 days, we will source fertiliser ourselves because farmers cannot continue suffering,” he stated.

The chairman added that farmers have also raised concerns over the quality of the subsidised fertiliser supplied. He said many growers suspect the product may not meet required standards, prompting the factory to take samples to the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) for analysis to determine whether its composition is contributing to reduced yields.

Tea farmer Benson Mwaniki echoed the concerns of the chairman, saying last year’s payment was below expectations because fertiliser arrived late, denying farmers the chance to apply it at the right time.

“When fertiliser comes late, we miss the critical application window, and that reduces our earnings,” Mwaniki said.
Another farmer, Ephraim Ndung’u, appealed to the government to review and reduce the numerous taxes imposed on tea. He described the heavy tax burden as a major obstacle facing growers.

“Tea farmers are carrying too many taxes. The government must intervene if this sector is to survive,” Ndung’u said.