Kenya bans tea hawking in sweeping industry crackdown to curb quality decline

KENYA – The Government of Kenya has intensified regulatory oversight over the tea sector by banning the hawking and roadside collection of green leaf, in a move aimed at improving the quality and marketability of Kenyan tea. 

The Tea Board of Kenya (TBK), through a circular issued by its CEO Willy Mutai on March 18, cautioned all tea factories and producers against sourcing green leaf outside designated collection centres or through unregistered brokers and vehicles.

The new measures, which are aligned with the Tea Act, 2020, seek to address longstanding quality issues attributed to the unregulated green leaf trade. The ban prohibits the use of vehicles not registered with TBK for leaf transportation and targets brokers operating outside formal systems.

Tea quality under pressure from unregulated supply chains

Green leaf hawking refers to the practice where tea farmers sell their harvest to factories other than those with which they are contractually registered. This practice, while often driven by price disparities, contravenes the Tea Act and has contributed to a decline in quality standards across the industry.

According to TBK, the increase in privately owned tea factories has incentivized off-market trading as some processors offer higher prices to attract farmers. 

However, such unregulated sourcing channels often result in the handling of lower-grade tea, affecting the end product and undermining Kenya’s competitiveness at international auctions, including the Mombasa Tea Auction.

In response, TBK previously directed that all green leaf transport vehicles be fitted with trackers to monitor their routes and ensure compliance with established collection protocols.

Cabinet Secretary issues firm directive

Speaking during a recent Senate plenary session, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe reaffirmed the government’s commitment to clean up the tea value chain. 

Kagwe stated that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development will soon gazette green leaf quality standard guidelines and Tea Regulations, thereby operationalizing key provisions of the Tea Act, 2020.

Kagwe also warned that any tea factory found purchasing green leaf from hawkers in violation of the law faces the risk of license revocation. 

“The government will not sit back and watch the tea industry go to the dogs. If factories continue buying from hawkers, they must be shut down,” he told stakeholders.

He highlighted that a single batch of poorly harvested tea can compromise entire consignments at export, affecting pricing and damaging Kenya’s reputation in global markets.

Farmers and factories respond to quality challenges

In regions like Murang’a and Bomet, TBK’s latest directive has triggered mixed reactions. Factory directors, such as those at Ngere Tea Factory, have ramped up educational efforts to inform farmers of the risks posed by hawking, including long-term financial and infrastructural losses. 

“If the problem is not tackled, the tea factories built with farmers’ resources will be at great risk,” said Ngere Factory Chairman James Githinji.

In Konoin Sub-County, tensions have also surfaced over market pricing. Boito Tea Factory farmers, affiliated with the Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA), recently threatened to halt tea picking following concerns over auction price disparities. 

Factory Chairman Bernard Sang noted that despite quality improvements, tea from the West of the Rift region continues to receive lower prices at the Mombasa Auction.

Boito Tea Factory, for instance, has been consistently ranked low in auction reports, prompting questions over market dynamics and broker practices. 

“We have done everything possible to improve quality, yet we still struggle,” said Sang.

Resolution reached in Kapkoros Tea dispute

Meanwhile, in Bomet County, farmers from Motigo and Olenguruone have resumed operations after the Ministry of Agriculture resolved a dispute involving Kapkoros Tea Factory. 

Farmers had demanded a split from the factory over governance and management concerns. The Ministry confirmed the separation of Motigo and Olenguruone factories from Kapkoros and directed the Kapkoros board to convene a Special General Meeting within 21 days to formalize the decision.

Stakeholders were also urged to withdraw ongoing court cases and avoid actions that could disrupt operations in affiliated factories, including Tirgaga.

Kenya reinforces position in global tea markets

Kenya is the world’s third-largest tea exporter by volume and a major player in global markets. Tea is a key foreign exchange earner, generating over KES 180 billion (US$1.35B) annually. 

However, industry observers note that systemic inefficiencies and quality concerns have eroded farmer incomes and affected the sector’s reputation.