Enos Njeru has secured a new three-year term as National Chairman of the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), marking a significant point for the country’s tea sector as stakeholders focus on legal reforms, improved quality standards, and sustainable market expansion. Njeru’s re-election, held in Mombasa and overseen by prominent government figures including Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Dr. Andrew Karanja, positions the KTDA for continuity in implementing the 2020 Tea Act, a law aimed at reforming Kenya’s tea industry. Eric Chepkwony, representing the Bomet Zone, was elected as Vice Chairman and joins Njeru in pursuing strategic initiatives vital to Kenya’s agricultural economy
Njeru’s re-election aligns with KTDA’s long-term vision to uphold a competitive edge in the tea industry while addressing the interests of tea farmers. He emphasized that implementing the Tea Act will give KTDA a stronger legal framework, bolstering efforts to expand market reach and reduce unsold stock—a recurring challenge for Kenyan tea farmers. In his acceptance remarks, Njeru highlighted the organization’s commitment to enhancing domestic tea consumption, diversifying product offerings, and establishing a common user facility to improve tea quality and processing efficiency.
“We are keen to implement the Tea Act fully, which will provide KTDA with the ability to enhance legal protections for our operations and safeguard the interests of farmers,” Njeru stated. His goals also include expanding international reach while fostering a domestic tea consumption culture to stabilize market demand, a strategic move anticipated to offset Kenya’s high tea production volumes
The re-election coincides with escalating demands from farmers in Bomet County for immediate solutions to congestion and delays at tea factories, a problem aggravated by rising tea production. Key newly elected directors, including Rono Kipngeno and Robert Rono, have voiced their commitment to construct additional factories to alleviate production bottlenecks. The leaders advocate for two new factories in Bomet’s Ndaraweta and Singorwet zones, aiming to reduce losses caused by green leaf waste and collection delays at processing centers. The lack of sufficient facilities has prompted concerns about crop spoilage, particularly during peak harvest seasons, as tea waiting for collection diminishes in quality, ultimately lowering its market value.
Rono Kipngeno, who represents the Ndaraweta Zone, pointed out that local factories like those in Tirgaga, Kapkoros, and Motigo are struggling to meet growing production needs. He committed to advocating for more factories to prevent the accumulation of unsold tea leaves. “Farmers are currently losing thousands of kilograms of tea due to congestion, leading to delays in collection from buying centers. We are prioritizing setting up new satellite factories to prevent this waste,” Kipngeno emphasized.
The calls for factory expansion reflect broader concerns within Bomet’s farming community about crop viability and profitability. With the local tea industry constrained by limited processing infrastructure, farmers face reduced income, as unsold tea leaf translates to financial losses. Alexander Rono, a farmer from the Singorwet area, noted that farmers are forced to cut back on harvest days due to storage limitations, a strategy that detracts from their potential earnings. “Weak policies have made it necessary to pick tea only twice weekly, which limits our output and compounds the loss from poor collection policies,” Rono stated. He added that the new directors must implement better systems to handle the rising crop yield more effectively.
David Ngeny, a farmer from Tegat, echoed the need for structural reforms and investment in new factories, arguing that previous KTDA leadership did not fully address farmers’ issues. He linked low market prices to reduced tea quality, which suffers when there are delays in green leaf collection. Ngeny observed that the price of high-quality tea, which can fetch significant returns, relies on a quick turnaround from field to factory. Simon Mutai, who was re-elected in the Tegat Chemaner Zone, stated that directors are aware of the need for these changes and expressed optimism that additional facilities would soon be operational. Mutai encouraged farmers to consider adopting high-yield tea clones, which he believes could drive demand for enhanced factory capabilities and ensure Kenya’s competitive stance in global markets.
As KTDA moves forward with its leadership and legislative mandates, the agricultural community anticipates substantial change. The re-election of Njeru, coupled with fresh commitments from zone directors to expand factory infrastructure, signals a period of reform aimed at enhancing both the productivity and profitability of Kenya’s tea sector. This strategic direction seeks to not only resolve logistical bottlenecks but also empower local farmers with the tools and market reach necessary to thrive in a competitive global economy.
