NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 22 – Smallholder tea farmers fertilisers are set to arrive in the country next month ahead of the short rains beginning in October.
KTDA Management Services (KTDA MS) says that it ordered 97,000 metric tonnes (MT) of fertiliser for the 2024/2025 season, an increase from the 88,000 MT procured last year.
The growth is attributed to an expansion of smallholder tea acreage and a growing preference among organisations and individuals outside the KTDA network to place their orders through the agency.
The NPK 26:5:5 chemically compounded fertiliser was sourced directly from Russia.
It will be bagged at the port and distributed to farmers through their respective factories, ensuring efficient and timely delivery for farm applications.
“The first shipment, carrying approximately 47,400 tonnes of fertilizer, will dock at the Port of Mombasa on September 10th. The second shipment, carrying the remaining balance, is expected to arrive two weeks later,” said Collins Bett, Managing Director of KTDA MS.
“We anticipate that farmers will receive the fertilizer promptly due to our seamless logistics plan and dedicated team.”
The final cost of a 50 kilogram bag of fertiliser will be determined by several factors, including the cost of natural gas (a key component in manufacturing NPK fertiliser), exchange rates, shipment costs, marine and overland insurance costs, as well as clearing and transportation costs to the respective tea factories.
Applying fertiliser at the start of the short rains is crucial for maintaining the high quality and quantity of green leaf required for premium tea production.
KTDA procures fertiliser in bulk through competitive international bidding, benefiting more than 680,000 small-scale tea farmers who are shareholders of its managed factories.
This arrangement allows these farmers to access high-quality fertiliser at competitive prices reliably.
The KTDA fertiliser credit scheme also enables farmers to pay for the fertiliser in installments, easing the financial burden of purchasing this vital input for tea farming.
