The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has imported 65,000 metric tones of fertilizer that would be sold to small scale farmers at a subsidized rate of 2,500 shillings per bag.
KTDA chairman David Gichoga says the 1.5 million bags consignment will be distributed to farmers in the shortest time before the onset of the short rains.
Speaking in Mombasa during an induction workshop for 54 tea factories on good corporate governance, Gichoga said there is need to maximize on available opportunities presented by the subsidized fertilizer to boost production.
Gichoga urged farmers not to resell the subsidized fertilizers but use it to increase production.
KTDA plans to subsidize the fertilizer to make it affordable to farmers.
He said among other issues they discussed with the managers of the tea factories is improvement of infrastructure for safe transportation of tea, value addition, more marketing of tea and a sustainable economic activity to improve living standards of farmers.