The second vessel carrying 35,000 metric tonnes of NPK chemically compounded fertilizer for the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has begun discharging at the Port of Mombasa, marking another significant step in the agency’s annual fertilizer importation program.
The arrival comes a month after the first vessel docked and completed its offloading, boosting ongoing efforts to ensure the timely distribution of affordable fertilizer to smallholder tea farmers across the country.
According to KTDA officials, the fertilizer offloaded from the second vessel will be transported to various regional stores before being dispatched to individual tea factories.
From there, factories will coordinate distribution to farmers ahead of the next short rains, a crucial period for tea planting and application of soil nutrients.
The agency said this year’s procurement process has been carefully aligned with the agricultural calendar to ensure farmers receive inputs when they need them most.
At the Port of Mombasa, operations were in full swing as cranes, forklifts, and transport trucks worked in coordination to ensure the fertilizer is cleared efficiently.
Port authorities said that discharging began smoothly, with logistics agencies on standby to fast-track transportation to inland depots.
Security and quality assurance teams were also on-site to monitor handling and packaging, ensuring the consignment meets the required standard before it is released for distribution.
KTDA management noted that this year’s fertilizer procurement strategy is part of wider efforts to cushion tea farmers from high production costs.
In recent years, global supply chain disruptions and rising commodity prices have contributed to increased fertilizer costs, putting pressure on farmers who rely on the annual subsidy and bulk procurement arrangement facilitated by KTDA.
By importing in bulk, the agency secures competitive prices and ensures uniformity in the fertilizer applied across the country’s tea-growing zones.
Farmers in tea-growing regions have welcomed the news of the second vessel’s arrival, saying timely availability of fertilizer is essential for increasing crop yields and improving leaf quality.
Many small-scale farmers depend heavily on the subsidised fertilizer to maintain the health of their tea bushes, especially during seasons when international market prices for tea fluctuate.
With the fertilizer now arriving in batches, farmers expressed optimism that the consignment would reach them earlier than in previous years.
As distribution plans gather pace, KTDA said that it will continue working closely with transporters, port authorities, and tea factories to minimize delays.
The agency emphasized that efficiency at every stage, from offloading at the port to final delivery, is key to supporting Kenya’s position as one of the world’s leading tea producers.
With the second vessel now discharging, KTDA expects the fertilizer rollout to proceed smoothly, ensuring that farmers across all tea-growing counties are adequately prepared for the upcoming planting and tending season.
The agency is expected to announce further updates once the consignment has been dispatched to regional warehouses, with the hope that the timely delivery will contribute to improved productivity and higher earnings for the over 600,000 smallholder tea farmers under its management.
