Neglect and exploitation of small-holder tea farmers by KTDA

Prayer

I, Brighton, on behalf of small-holder tea farmers, draw the attention of the House to the following: THAT, since inception, tea-growing in Kenya has expanded rapidly making it a significant contributor to the Kenyan economy through exports with a direct impact to over 3 million small-holder tea farmers; THAT, tea growing in Kenya is regulated by various policies established by the Kenya Tea Directorate under the Agriculture and Food Authority Act of 2013; THAT, KTDA was incorporated in 2000 to liberalise the tea industry and enable tea farmers to exercise control over the management and factories through board management agents; THAT, KTDA has monopolised and taken over the management of the entire small-holder tea companies and this constitutes a strong strategic barrier against the entry of new managing agents; THAT, KTDA sells tea produced by farmers on a quarterly basis but on