Tea farmers in Kenya embrace mechanized plucking to reduce costs, boost earnings
Widespread adoption of battery-powered tea harvesting machines is helping smallholder farmers in Kenya cut labour costs and improve efficiency.
KENYA – A growing number of tea farmers in Kenya, particularly in the Rift Valley and Western regions, are adopting mechanized harvesting to reduce production costs and increase profitability.
According to Tea Machinery Company Limited (Temec) general manager Michael Cherutich, mechanization is revolutionizing tea farming by significantly reducing the reliance on manual labour.
Cherutich said that many farmers, especially smallholders, have embraced battery-powered tea plucking machines to cope with rising labour expenses.
These machines have become increasingly popular following initial resistance, as more growers recognise the benefits of reducing wage-related expenditures and improving harvesting efficiency.
Temec, a fully owned subsidiary of the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), designed the machines with smallholder farmers in mind. The equipment is tailored for ease of use and maintenance, enabling farmers to manage peak harvest periods more efficiently and affordably.
Cherutich cited regions such as Kapsabet, Kaptumo, and Kitale as areas where the impact of mechanization is most evident.
Farmers in these areas are now able to harvest faster while incurring lower wage bills, resulting in more consistent deliveries to tea factories and improved income stability.
He noted that the reliability of the machines allows farmers to navigate challenges such as unpredictable weather and labour shortages.
“This reliability, combined with lower operating costs, has accelerated the adoption of mechanized harvesting. For smallholder farmers, it provides a smarter approach to meet production demands,” Cherutich said.
Temec is collaborating with financial services provider Greenland Fedha to enable farmers to acquire the machines on credit, making the technology more accessible to growers across Kenya.
In January 2024, agricultural company Sasini Plc invested in mechanized tea plucking as part of its broader technology-driven strategy.
The company reported a staff reduction of 267 jobs in 2023, attributing the move to increased efficiency from mechanizatio
Sasini noted a decrease in staff costs to Kes359.9 million (US$2.24 million) from Kes381.9 million (US$2.38 million) in the previous year, underscoring the financial benefits of the shift.
Sasini said that the digitization of operations and mechanized tea harvesting have played a key role in reducing wastage, improving efficiency, and managing production costs.
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