Tea growers are awaiting celebrations after their factory boards approved the highest mini bonus.The mini bonus slated to be paid alongside the March monthly payments is calculated at between Sh5 and Sh12 per kilogramme processed for the factories in Murang’a and Kirinyaga counties.
The approval was endorsed last week as the boards from the regions met where some will affect the payment of Sh25 per kilogramme of green leaf up from Sh21.
In Murang’a County, factories in Gatanga, Kigumo and Kandara will pay uniformly at the rate of Sh12 per kilogramme, for the production delivered and processed in the six factories in the period between July and December last year.
Ikumbi Factory Vice Chairman Gerald Ngumba said the mini bonus payment will be released alongside the March green leaf payment.Mr Ngumba said the factory board also endorsed paying the green leaf at Sh25 per kilogramme to match with majority of the tea factories.
“The information has been circulated to the farmers within our tea catchment in Kigumo sub county,” said Ngumba.Ikumbi last year paid a mini bonus of Sh7 per kilogramme. At Njunu tea factory, the Vice Chairman Mr Maina Gathua said the decision of a mini bonus will impact positively with the growers.
“We appreciate paying the farmers Sh21 per kilogramme alongside the mini bonus,” said Maina. In Murang’a North Zone Two led by the tea reforms crusader Mr Chege Kirundi, the mini bonus payment has been calculated as Githambo farmers will be paid at the rate of Sh10, Kanyenya-ini Sh10, Gatunguru Sh6, and Kiru Sh6 per kilogramme of green leaf delivered for processing.
Chairman to Ngere Tea Factory Prof Joseph Karanja said his farmers apart from the mini bonus will get Sh4 per kilogramme of the produce they delivered in the last four months.
“In the months of November, December, January and February we retained some money which will be disbursed alongside the March green leaf payment,” said Karanja. The board, he said, approved a mini bonus of Sh12 per kilogramme among other lucrative benefits.
“After other factories increased their monthly payment from Sh21 to Sh25, we opted to keep their Sh4 per kilogramme as a way to caution them from the wrath of tea pluckers,” said Karanja.Githambo factory Chairman Mr Joseph Karanu said the growers will get a mini bonus at the rate of Sh`10 per kilogramme of green leaf.
In Kirinyaga county, all the factories Ndima factory will be paying the mini bonus at the rate of Sh10 per kilogramme.
Mununga Tea Factory Director Nahason Ngari said factory boards approved the mini bonus based on the better prices owing to the reserved prices.”We are working for the interest of the tea growers as we are paying a monthly payment of Sh25 up from Sh21,” said Ngari.