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{
    "id": 979971,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/979971/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 217,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Igembe South, Independent",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. John Paul Mwirigi",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1574,
        "legal_name": "Cyprian Kubai Iringo",
        "slug": "cyprian-kubai-iringo"
    },
    "content": "Comparing the input with the output, the farmer has been operating at a loss. So, it is high time we strengthened this board which is being created so that it can have power. That is something that is currently creating the problem. Some of the Hon. Members are feeling that the board will not be powerful enough to counter KTDA. The KTDA has established its own way of working, which is to the disadvantage of farmers. They should automate the auction done at Mombasa to show the bidder prices. That way, farmers will know the price of their produce. They will know how much a kilogramme of tea will cost in a certain month. The Government should promote tea consumption because we should not rely on just exporting it. It should find a way of introducing a tea consumption day. An example is Sri Lanka. It produces a lot of tea but consumption is low. So, the Government should set aside a tea day whereby all Kenyans will be encouraged to consume their own produce. At the same time, the manufacturing costs are high and this greatly disadvantages the farmers. Factories should be allowed to produce their own power and the Government should chip in. That way, the manufacturing costs will be lowered and farmers will enjoy better returns from their tea. Just like the Government gives funds for maize subsidies, it should also improvise a way of providing cash or fertiliser subsidies so that farmers can buy it at a lower price. This will greatly reduce production expenses. A farmer normally pays someone to pluck the tea, the one who takes it to the buying centre and the one who takes it to the factory. So, if the fertiliser is subsidised, the farmer will have more money for upkeep and to educate the children. Agriculture is the backbone of our economy and it is high time the Government concentrated on it. A tea farmer expects to get bonus at the end of the year. Usually, this is a lot of money to cater for the children. The farmer usually knows the harvest will bring good returns. So, the Government should start an Equalisation Fund for tea farmers to enable them predict the bonus that they will get in a particular year. Also, marketing of tea is another area where the Government is failing because factories have specific countries where they sell their tea. Some countries are politically unstable and the Government should source for new markets. This way, farmers will have alternative markets to sell their tea. The Government should ensure it eradicates cartels because they are messing up the farmers. If this is done, they will enjoy the earnings from their harvest. I beg to support."
}