NAIROBI: The Principal Secretary of the State Department for Agriculture, Dr. Paul Ronoh, has instructed the Kenya Tea Board to conduct an audit of all private tea factories in the country. This directive aims to ensure that these factories meet the minimum standards required for the production and processing of tea, amid concerns about the quality of Kenyan tea on the global market. According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Ronoh commended the Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) factories for maintaining high-quality standards in tea production suitable for both local and international markets. However, he expressed concerns about the quality of tea produced by some private factories, which he claimed has tarnished the reputation of Kenyan tea globally. During his visit to KTDA factories in Chebut and Kaptumo, Ronoh emphasized the need for compliance with accepted standards and urged private firms to adhere to government-approved guidelines. The Principal Secretary also instructed the Kenya Tea Board to halt the registration of new tea factories and focus on auditing existing ones. This measure is intended to address quality concerns and ensure that farmers' complaints are resolved promptly. Ronoh stressed that the competitiveness of Kenyan tea in the international market heavily relies on the quality of tea processed by certified factories. He underscored his confidence in KTDA factories, highlighting their compliance with regulated production costs. Furthermore, Ronoh announced that the government had set the price of a 50-kg bag of tea fertilizer at Sh2,500 to aid farmers in producing high-quality tea. This initiative is part of the government's broader strategy to enhance the competitiveness of Kenyan tea globally. In addition to tea production, Ronoh reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting maize farmers with affordable fertilizer. He disclosed that nearly one million bags had been procured for this purpose. During his visit to tea farmers and the management of Chebut and Kaptumo tea factories in the Emgwen and Aldai constituencies, respectively, Ronoh also addressed the proposal to separate Kaptumo from the Chebut Tea Company, approving the separation while stressing the importance of adhering to legal procedures.