The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development is pushing for sweeping regulatory reforms to tackle the growing threat of tea hacking and unregulated trade activities that continue to undermine Kenya’s tea industry.

In a statement released via its official X account on Sunday, July 27, 2025, the Ministry revealed that the proposals were presented during a high-level consultative meeting in Mombasa.

The session, led by Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh, was held with the National Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Livestock as part of ongoing deliberations on the Tea Bill currently under review. The committee is chaired by MP John Mutunga.

Key players in the tea sector, including the Tea Board of Kenya and KTDA Holdings Limited, also participated in the forum.

Ronoh underscored the urgency of reinforcing the regulatory framework governing tea production and marketing, citing an increase in illicit practices such as tea hacking where harvested tea is stolen or diverted before it reaches registered buying centers.

“To safeguard the integrity of the value chain, we must eliminate loopholes that allow illegal activities to thrive,” said Ronoh, adding that a more robust oversight system would enhance transparency and rebuild trust among farmers, processors, and buyers.

The Ministry is also advocating for tighter controls in the licensing of new tea factories, warning that unchecked expansion is contributing to market oversupply, which in turn threatens the viability of existing players.

Beyond enforcement, the Ministry outlined a multi-faceted strategy aimed at revitalizing the sector. This includes encouraging direct sales from tea factories to buyers to eliminate exploitative middlemen, accelerating value addition to raise Kenya’s global market share, and adopting digital platforms to improve traceability and efficiency across the supply chain.

A major highlight of the discussion was the proposed strategic use of tea levy funds to improve agricultural infrastructure particularly rural access roads. Ronoh noted that poor road networks have long hampered timely delivery of green leaf to factories and increased post-harvest losses.

“By channeling levy funds into critical infrastructure like farm-to-factory roads, we can significantly improve logistics, reduce spoilage, and ultimately boost farmers’ earnings,” he stated.

As Parliament continues to scrutinize the Tea Bill, the Ministry says these reforms are necessary to secure the future of the sector, which remains one of Kenya’s top foreign exchange earners and a vital source of livelihood for thousands of smallholder farmers.