Ruto hails tea sector success, hands Ksh2.65B cheque to KTDA
By Kenneth Mwenda, September 11, 2025President William Ruto has hailed the tea sector as a major successful economic sector for Kenya.
Taking to X on Thursday, September 11, 2025, Ruto announced that he had presented a cheque of Ksh2.65 billion to the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) at State House, Nairobi.
The funds were deposits held by the Kenya Deposit Insurance Company under the defunct Chase and Imperial Banks.
“At State House, Nairobi, I presented a cheque of Ksh2.65 billion to the Kenya Tea Development Agency, which were deposits held by the Kenya Deposit Insurance Company under the defunct Chase and Imperial Banks,” he wrote.
Ruto said agriculture is at the heart of Kenya’s national transformation agenda.
“It remains the backbone of our economy: contributing nearly half of our GDP, creating millions of jobs, driving exports, and ensuring food security.”
He highlighted the reforms the government has implemented. These include registering 6.5 million farmers, distributing 21 million bags of subsidised fertiliser, dismantling cartels, streamlining sector management, opening new markets, and expanding support systems.
Ruto said the impact of these reforms is visible across all subsectors of agriculture, with tea standing out as a major success story.
“The impact is visible across every subsector, with tea standing out as a powerful success story. Prices have risen from an average of Sh51 to Ksh64 per kilo, while export earnings have surged from Sh138 billion to Ksh250 billion. With continued value addition, the modernisation of factories and the branding of our tea, we project that earnings will reach Ksh280 billion by 2027.”
Agriculture achievements
The President has also earlier referred to recent achievements in other areas of agriculture. In September, he said Kenya is on track for a record maize harvest, with production expected to reach 70 million bags this year. He explained that the Fertiliser Subsidy Programme has reduced costs for farmers, allowing them to spend only 330 shillings for every 1,000 shillings previously spent.
Ruto noted that tea production has grown by 12 per cent, while earnings increased by 40 per cent from Ksh154 billion in 2022 to Ksh215 billion in 2024. He emphasised that more money is now reaching farmers directly, improving livelihoods across the sector.
Earlier, in June, Ruto outlined the government’s broader agenda, including national unity, inclusive governance, and economic transformation.
He said supporting agriculture is central to eradicating poverty and ensuring food security, pointing to progress in maize, tea, and sugarcane production as evidence of the reforms’ impact.