Tea Factories Told to Reject Substandard Green Leaf Immediately

Tea Farmer Plugging Tea

Tea factories have received fresh instructions to stop accepting green leaf that fails to meet the recommended two leaves and a bud standard, signalling a major push by the government to improve tea quality and boost farmers’ earnings.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said factories should separate poor-quality leaf from properly plucked tea instead of processing both together.

Government Pushes Stricter Quality Rules

Kagwe warned that factories that mix substandard leaf with high-quality produce end up lowering the value of the final tea sold to international buyers.

He said farmers who follow the recommended plucking standards should not lose money because others deliver immature or poorly selected leaf.

The CS issued the directive during a visit to Kapsara Tea Factory, where the government is funding the installation of new processing equipment.

Quality Drive Linked to Factory Upgrades

The order comes as the government implements a Ksh7.1 billion tea factory modernisation programme aimed at replacing ageing machinery, reducing energy costs and improving production efficiency.

Kagwe argued that investing in modern equipment will have little impact if factories continue processing raw material that compromises tea quality.

Farmers May Need to Change Plucking Practices

The new directive is likely to force many farmers to review how they harvest green leaf because factories will face pressure to enforce stricter checks at collection centres.

Industry officials say better plucking practices can improve the quality of processed tea and increase returns from export markets.

Government Eyes Better Export Prices

Kagwe said the quality campaign forms part of a broader strategy to secure higher prices for Kenyan tea globally, especially through increased production of orthodox and speciality teas.

He pointed to Momul Tea Factory, where improved green leaf quality reportedly helped raise tea prices from about Ksh258 per kilogramme to more than Ksh387 per kilogramme.

Tea Remains Crucial to Kenya’s Economy

Tea continues to rank among Kenya’s most important export earners, generating billions of shillings in foreign exchange each month.

The government hopes that stricter quality standards, combined with factory modernisation, will strengthen Kenya’s reputation in global tea markets and increase earnings for both factories and farmers.