Tea Board of Kenya — regulator that introduced a 0.8% levy on tea exports and imports effective May 2026, now facing court challenges and farmer opposition.
… The Tea Board of Kenya, through its website, has discouraged farmers from participating in the strike that had called for the resignation of directors, scrapping of tea levy, audit of status of factory debts and halt factories upgrade programme.A spot by The Standard at Ngere Tea …
… KTDA has moved to put the record straight after the farmers raised concerns after the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) reported that the tea factories, by December 31st last year, had a loan balance of Sh34.2 billion.The leadership has dismissed the poster and several documents currently …
… Information released by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) revealed that the Tea (Levy) Regulations, 2026 came into effect on May 1, 2026, after being gazetted on April 1. …
… Information released by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) intimated that the Tea (Levy) Regulations, 2026 came into effect on May 1, 2026, after being gazetted on April 1. …
Audio By VocalizePresident William Ruto’s allies have opposed the tea levy introduced by the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK), charged to the buyers at the rate of Sh2.28 per kilogram at the price of the auction. …
… Audio By Vocalize Tea farmers in Kirinyaga have raised concerns over the proposed levy by the Tea Board of Kenya, saying it is intended to oppress farmers.Led by John Mithamo Wasusana, chairman of Ndima Tea Factory and Zone 5, the farmers said that they are already suffering and …
… According to information released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK), the Tea (Levy) Regulations, 2026 came into effect on May 1, 2026, after being gazetted on April 1. …
Tea farmers affiliated to Gathuthi Tea Factory in Nyeri on a farm, March 27, 2024. [File, Standard] Tea sector players have moved to court to challenge new levies introduced by the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK). …
… They also questioned the legality of the implementation of the levy by the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK), which has sparked backlash due to a lack of a gazette notice to legitimise it.This is despite the issuance of a regulation by the Ministry of Agriculture. …
Tea farmers in the Mt Kenya region ignored a planned national strike and continued plucking, choosing instead to address grievances through end-of-year factory meetings. The strike had called for director resignations, scrapping of tea levies, audits of factory debts, and halting factory upgrades, but farmers said issues should be deliberated during annual general meetings rather than through strike action.
Tea farmers in the Mt Kenya region ignored a planned national strike and continued plucking, choosing instead to address grievances through end-of-year factory meetings. The strike had called for director resignations, scrapping of tea levies, audits of factory debts, and halting factory upgrades, but farmers said issues should be deliberated during annual general meetings rather than through strike action.
KTDA has dismissed documents circulating on social media about factory loans and governance as unverified, as farmers plan to petition for the removal of directors over alleged unexplained loans. The organization urged stakeholders to ignore the false information and called for constructive scrutiny based on authenticated documents.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has emphasised value addition in the tea sector to boost job creation and increase farmers' earnings, speaking during the handover of a Ksh.28.7 million grant cheque to Thumaita Tea Factory in Kirinyaga County. The government is prioritising value addition across key cash crops including tea, coffee, avocado, macadamia, pyrethrum and cotton.
Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe dismissed concerns that Kenya's Tea Levy is harming the tea industry, stating that tea uptake has surged to 93%, the highest in years. He argued the 0.8% levy on tea buyers—not farmers—is essential for financing research, global marketing, and value addition to secure the sector's future.
Tea farmers in Kericho have called on the Tea Board of Kenya to withdraw the newly introduced 0.8 per cent tea levy, which took effect on May 1, 2026. Led by Governor Erick Mutai, they argue the levy further reduces earnings at a time of low returns and rising production costs, and urge the regulator to focus instead on improving tea prices and expanding markets.
President Ruto's allies, including Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot and Embu MPs, have opposed the Tea Board of Kenya's levy of Sh2.28 per kilogram charged to buyers, saying it forces them to seek alternative markets and costs the sector Sh1.2 billion annually. The leaders called on the government to remove the levy and instead fund tea research and marketing.
Tea farmers in Kirinyaga have raised concerns over a proposed levy by the Tea Board of Kenya, saying it will cut their earnings and increase their burden. They are calling on the government to allow them to export tea directly from Sagana instead of through Mombasa.
The government has restored a tea levy for the first time since 2016, with regulations effective May 1, 2026. Exporters will pay 0.8 per cent of the auction value of tea exports, while tea importers will pay a levy equivalent to 100 per cent of the value of imported made tea; the government says the measure will fund research, market development, infrastructure and farmer protection.
Kenya's Tea Board of Kenya has implemented a 0.8 per cent levy on tea exports and imports as of May 1, but stakeholders question its legality, citing lack of a gazette notice despite a regulation from the Ministry of Agriculture and concerns about enforcement without proper gazettement.