Governor Sang Urges Modernization of Tea Factories to Boost Farmers’ Earnings

Nandi County Governor Stephen Sang has urged the national government to invest in modernizing tea factories and adopt new technologies to ensure better returns for farmers in the auction market.

Speaking during the Annual General Meeting of Sireet Out Growers Empowerment and Producer Company (Sireet OEP) in Nandi Hills, Sang said most tea factories still rely on outdated systems that deny farmers fair prices.

“Two weeks ago, bonuses for tea farmers were declared, and we have seen huge disparities between tea prices and the bonuses paid out,” said Sang. “The factories east of the Rift Valley continue to receive better prices compared to those in the west, and it’s time we addressed the real cause — technology.”

The governor noted that while other sectors have embraced modernization, the tea industry still depends on a system that has remained unchanged for over 50 years. He emphasized that the manual tea tasting method used in auctions promotes bias and inconsistency, leading to unfair pricing.

Sang called for reforms that would replace traditional tea tasting with scientific and digital methods such as blind tasting and near-infrared spectroscopy. According to him, these technologies would bring transparency, objectivity, and consistency in tea quality assessments, restoring confidence in Kenya’s tea auction system.

“For decades, tea farmers have endured an auction system that rewards subjectivity rather than quality,” he said. “Our farmers deserve fairness and a system that values their hard work.”

He also commended Sireet OEP for empowering local farmers and expanding investments in the tea sector, encouraging more growers to buy shares in the farmer-owned enterprise.

Sireet OEP Chairman Wilson Tuwei supported the governor’s remarks, noting that this year’s tea bonus was significantly lower, leaving many farmers struggling.

“For quite some time, tea prices have remained low. We are calling for government intervention to reform the tea sector and ensure farmers get better returns,” said Tuwei.