Agriculture and Livestock CS Mutahi Kagwe has said they will use the whole-of-government approach to clear tea trading barriers.
The move, he said, will be done in collaboration with the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry.
Kagwe said the Kenya Tea Development Agency Board, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, is breaking into new markets including India, Bulgaria, Georgia, the USA, Iraq, Turkey, Brazil, Russia, Iran, and the Sudan.
On Friday, KTDA chairman of the Board, Chege Kirundi, and the CEO Wilson Muthaura appraised CS Kagwe on the progress made in reducing the stockpile of unsold tea in Mombasa and in expanding revenue streams to increase farmers' earnings.
Following the presidential directive to urgently address the 106 million kilos of unsold tea at the auction, the board has achieved this target by selling 97 per cent of the tea and only 3.7 million kilos remain.
CS Kagwe lauded KTDA for initiating reforms to enhance efficiencies, mitigate the impact of climate change, diversify investments, and market tea under the Produce of Kenya brand.
He said the measures will increase revenues, entrench the brand, and segment the market, with the surplus earning farmers higher bonuses.
Agriculture and Livestock CS Mutahi Kagwe during a meeting with KTDA leaders on March 7, 2025/HANDOUTCS Kagwe encouraged the agency to always put the farmer first, partner with lenders like the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) and local fertilizer manufacturers to enable farmers to access affordable capital and inputs.
In February, the government and KTDA unveiled a raft of new measures aimed at enhancing tea prices as well as tackling the issue of unsold teas.
A consultative meeting held in Kisumu bringing together factory directors from the West Rift, the Tea Board of Kenya, East African Tea Trade Association (EATA), tea buyers, and KTDA management also focused on the issue of unsold teas.
As of July last year, there was an estimated 100 million kilos of unsold at the KTDA warehouses in Mombasa.
The government suspended the minimum reserve price in August with hopes that it will unlock new purchases and help reduce unsold stocks shunned by buyers since last year.
