An MP from Embu and a factory director have opposed the newly-introduced tea regulations, which have been widely embraced by farmers. Manyatta MP John Muchiri and Rukuriri Tea Factory director Joshua Kanake argued that the regulations will lead to rejection of Kenya’s tea in favour of tea from other regional tea producing countries. Muchiri and Kanake said the condition requiring that a tea buyer at the Mombasa Tea Auction should pay ten per cent of the total amount of the tea he wants as guarantee bond is disadvantageous and harmful to Kenya tea. Muchiri called for harmonisation of such regulations among the 12 countries which use the Mombasa Tea Auction to avoid hurting of the Kenya farmer. They also opposed the ban on direct sale of tea and restriction of its sale at the Mombasa Tea Auction, arguing that this will flood the auction with tea causing prices to drop.

Source: The Star September 27, 2020 20:02 UTC