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In this lesson we are going to discuss about cultivation of tea in Kenya

Answer Text:
Tea Cultivation
-Tea cuttings are raised in a nursery for 6-10 months.
- Holes are dug at intervals of 0.7-0.9 m with rows being 1.5 m apart.
- Transplanting is done at the beginning of the rainy season.
- Young tea plants are intercropped with other crops to prevent soil erosion and to act as mulch.
- Pegging lateral branches to force them to grow horizontally to aid frame development.
- Tips of shoots are periodically plucked to encourage growth of more shoots.
- Tea is ready for harvesting when it attains 4 years.
- The bushes are pruned to a new level after every 3 years to increase production through new vegetative growth.
- Tipping or cutting shoots back to required height.

Harvesting Of Tea
- Picked after 5-7 days during rainy season and 10-14 days during dry season.
- 2 leaves and a bud are picked and thrown in a basket strapped on the back.
- A straight stick is used to determine the height.
- It should not be pressed to prevent premature fermentation.

Processing Of Tea
- At the factory the leaves are withered by blowing hot and cool air alternately.
- Passed through a machine which crushes them into small pieces.
- Crushed leaves are fermented for a few hours.
- Fermented leaves are dried by blowing with a machine called drier.
- The cooled tea is graded by passing through a strainer which sieves it.
- The various tea grades are winnowed by blowing out unwanted fibres.
- Tea is then packed in chests or bags to await sale or exportation.

Problems Facing Kenyan Tea Farmers
a) Pests e.g. weevils and beetles which attack tender leaves supposed to be picked.
b) Diseases e.g. root rot which causes the bush to wither, dry and eventually die.
c) Hail stones which fall on tea bushes causing damage e.g. in Kericho and Nandi.
d) Fluctuations of world prices which causes the farmers to lose morale and neglect or uproot the crop.
e) Shortage of rainfall leading to reduction in leaf production.
f) Transport problems in some areas due to dilapidated roads which cause spoilage of harvested tea before it reaches
the factory.
g) Shortage of labour in some tea growing areas where young people have migrated to towns.
h) Shortage of capital to meet production costs.

Marketing of Tea in Kenya
- Some tea is consumed locally and a huge amount is sold on the international market.
- Major marketer is K.T.D.A.
Functions of KTDA
a) Collection of tea from buying centres.
b) Processing of tea.
c) Providing farmers with inputs such as fertilizer.
d) Sensitizes farmers on high quality production of tea.
e) Facilitates sale of tea at best possible prices.
f) Ensures prompt collection of payment from all tea buyers.
g) Promotion of tea with the aim of expanding market share.

Outlets through Which It Markets Tea
1. Factory door sale of tea in polythene bags to farmers accounting for 3% of sales.
2. Through Mombasa auction where it’s exported to other countries such as Britain, France Afghanistan. It accounts for 75% of sales.
3. Dealing directly with interested buyers which accounts for 15% of sales.
- KETEPA is the largest tea packing company in Africa belonging to tea grower’s grades, blends and packs some of the tea then sells to local
market and exports superior qualities.
- Other companies which pack tea for local sale include Kikuyu Highland Tea Company and Unilever Kenya (Home Cup).

Significance of Tea Farming in Kenya
a) Earns foreign exchange from tea export.
b) Saves some foreign exchange that would be used to import tea.
c) Farmers earn income which raises their standard of living.
d) It creates employment such as for people working in farms and factories.
e) Has led to development of industries such as processing factories, blending and packaging industries.
f) Has led to development of infrastructure by roads being improved to ease transportation of tea to factories.