Thumaita Tea Factory has secured Ksh 28.7 million grant from the exchequer to revitalise the facility.
Speaking during the handover the cheque to the facility, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the funding reinforces the government’s commitment to modernising Kenya’s tea industry and accelerating value addition.
The grant will support factory modernisation, improve processing capacity, enhance tea quality, and boost the production of higher-value teas, enabling farmers to earn better returns while strengthening Kenya’s competitiveness in premium international markets.
Kagwe said the government is also committed to building a more resilient and profitable tea sector, urging farmers to support the Tea Levy.
He clarified that the levy is paid by tea buyers, not farmers and that the proceeds are reinvested into the industry to finance research, market promotion, climate resilience, innovation, and value addition.
He called on farmers to disregard misinformation surrounding the Tea Levy, stressing that it is a strategic investment designed to secure the long-term growth, sustainability, and global competitiveness of Kenya’s tea industry.
