Companies
Tea firms decry security costs as theft on the rise
Thursday July 13 2023
A tea plucking machine in operation at a tea estate in Kericho. FILE PHOTO | VITALIS KIMUTAI | NMG
Williamson Tea Kenya (WTK) has revealed an increased number of insecurity cases such as theft, that have become a major concern for tea growers resulting in high operating expenses.
The tea-producing region of Rift Valley has been hit by protests and theft in recent months. Some protesters have damaged tea plucking machines which they blame for snatching their jobs.
Read: Riots pluck Sh170m from us, say tea firms
“There are reasons to be concerned about the rule of law and the gradual erosion of it. Increased theft of green leaves and mindless vandalism and destruction of assets are on the rise. The rule of law and adherence to it is the backbone for a stable and strong society,” Williamson says in its latest annual report.
“Employing more security to protect assets and people adds considerably to our costs.”
Large-scale tea producers in Kericho and Bomet counties lost millions of shillings in the violence against multinationals by armed gangs who were opposed to the introduction of mechanisation.
The Kenya Tea Growers Association earlier said the escalating insecurity affecting tea farms in the region had compromised about 4.5 million kilogrammes of green leaves.
Read: Destroying machinery at tea firms a misstep
Disclosures from the listed agricultural firm show its tea production dropped by 11 percent from 16.7 million kilogrammes a year earlier to 15.1 million kilogrammes in the year ended March 2023.
