Written By Lisa Murimi
Tea farmers in Kenya are set to receive a much-needed boost after the government announced the distribution of subsidized fertilizer ahead of the short rains.Â
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development issued a directive to the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) to revise fertilizer prices in line with government policy.
The KTDA had imported over 86,988 metric tons of fertilizer to be distributed to farmers nationwide.
In a statement, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Andrew Mwihia Karanja confirmed that the fertilizer would be sold at Ksh2,500 per 50kg bag, down from a previously announced Ksh3,400.
The government’s intervention follows nationwide protests by tea farmers after the KTDA announced the price hike, which would have impacted over 700,000 small-scale farmers.
The fee was set to be deducted from farmers’ bonus payments, causing widespread distress.
The subsidy program is part of the government’s efforts to support small-scale tea farmers by ensuring they have access to affordable fertilizer, critical for boosting productivity and maintaining crop quality.
The government also announced plans to allocate Ksh2 billion for the fertilizer subsidy in the 2024/2025 financial year, in collaboration with the National Treasury and other agencies.
