Smallholder tea growers are expected to earn more from their orthodox produce after Chinga Tea Factory in Othaya, Nyeri county, acquired an ultra-modern drying machine to boost efficiency. The Sh20 million machine which is currently being installed can process 600 kilograms of tea per hour and is expected to start operating by the end of this month. The factory plans to assist farmers explore the growing market of orthodox tea globally.
From its inception in 1963, the factory was manufacturing Black CTC tea, until 2019 when it installed an orthodox production line. The factory’s production manager Wilson Waithaka said the new machine will enhance the firm’s current capacity of processing 20 million kilogrammes of green leaf annually.