TEA NEWS #tea packaging

The prolonged battle between the Kericho County Government and the United Kingdom-based tea firms over the deployment of tea harvesting machines is far from over after massive job losses due to the introduction of mechanization.

In 2009, Ramalinga Raju took India’s corporate scene by surprise when he resigned as chairman of Satyam Computer Services, the fourth-largest software exporter at the time

Agriculture and Livestock development CS Mithika Linturi has reiterated the government’s commitment to continuously support the tea industry and leverage on value addition.

• Stakeholders in the industry had raised concerns over a number of challenges they face in value addition for tea with the main challenge being the issue of taxation on packaging material. • Linturi promised that the government will do what it takes to ensure that Kenya starts exporting value-added tea.

Several multinationals are battling court cases in Kenya whose outcome is highly awaited this year because of the risks they carry on their operations. The corporations facing the cases include major grower, processor and supplier of Kenyan tea James Finlay, social media giant Meta, and Lancet, which has been sued by its former chief executive Ahmed Kalebi.

Guwahati: at Sale 52 held on 27th, 28th and 29th December, 2022 there were 213,220 packages on offer. CTC: There w as fair demand for better Assams. Select cleaner, well-made & good liquoring varieties were irregular around last whilst the remainder was easier.

Calcutta: at Sale 50 held on the 13th, 14th and 15th December, 2022, CTC: Fair demand for better and better medium Assams at irregularly easier levels. Bolder brokens were a weak feature this week.

Cochin: Coonoor Sale No.52 dated 30-12-2022; CTC Leaf: Good demand. steady market, selling around last levels. Bolder Brokens barely steady and smaller brokens trading at firm to occasionally dearer levels. Best categories seen recovering in price levels. Buying pattern: Buoyant buying from the major blender. Regional Picketers also participated. Internal fair support, Exporters good support.

Chittagong: at Sale 34 held on 26th December, CTC LEAF: 51,752 packages of Current Season teas on offer met with a fairly strong demand. BROKENS: A handful of good Brokens on offer met with a strong demand and were generally firm.

Colombo: at Sale 50 held on the 19th and 20th December, there were 5.1m/kgs on offer. The 0.72 mkgs of Ex estate teas on offer met with good demand. Select Best Western High Grown BOPs were firm to dearer; the below best and plainer varieties were firm to easier at times.

Led by the Greenfield tea factory Assistant manager Ambrose Cheruiyot, they decried the high cost of fertilizers and asked the government to intervene so that they can also benefit from the program. “Private factories in the country can’t access subsidized fertilizer for its only available for factories under the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), we are also struggling to remain afloat, hence the need for government help,” explained Cheruiyot.

A task force has been formed to review operations of multinational tea firms in three counties. The formation of the task force comes against the backdrop of a protracted battle between Kericho Governor Erick Mutai and United Kingdom-based tea firms over the deployment of tea harvesting machines. Dr Mutai said the latest move was a collaboration among Kericho, Bomet, and Nandi counties.