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{
    "id": 219770,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/219770/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 224,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Obwocha",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Planning and National Development",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 356,
        "legal_name": "Henry Onyancha Obwocha",
        "slug": "henry-obwocha"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to say one or two words about this Motion which is extremely important for this country. As you know, coffee and tea are our leading exports in the agricultural sector. When we have situations like the ones we have in the tea industry, it is very worrying for the country. From the outset, where I come from, in the old Nyamira District, we 1536 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES May 23, 2007 have six tea factories: Nyasiongo, Nyangoba, Tombe, Sang'anyi, Kebirigo and Gianchore. The manner in which these factories are being run is commendable but the production of tea in the last two to three years has been going down. It is worrying because if that trend is allowed, this country is going to experience problems. The question that arises is whether the current KTDA, which is the agency, is running these factories in a manner acceptable to the farmers. When we go to the ground, what we are hearing are complaints from farmers. These complaints must be addressed by the agency. The agency has not done what the farmers want it to do. Mr. Muiruri is here and he is taking notes, the Ministry needs to give it some impetus. We want to give it powers to put a hand as Government such that if there is a problem in the tea industry, then we are able to correct it. If the tea production in the country went down last year, we must reverse that trend this year. That is what we are saying. Therefore, I want to commend Mr. Angwenyi for bringing this Motion and we want to say, for our farmers to hear loud and clear, that we are supporting their request that the Government does put their hand in the KTDA in the event of it not doing enough to correct the anomalies in the tea industry. We are aware that the prices offered in the world market for tea and coffee are not adequate."
}