Striking Kenyan tea farmers could shoot themselves in the foot

17 February 1998

Striking Kenyan tea farmers could "shoot themselves in the foot"

THE Kenyan tea farmers strike could lead to the disintegration of the Kenya
Tea Development Authority (KTDA), writes the Financial Times.

One analyst says the farmers could be shooting themselves in the foot. The KTDA was once hailed as a model of how a parastatal representing small farmers should be run.

KTDA wants to raise funds for up to 15 new factories to cope with the
expanding crop. But the question mark over KTDAs future could scare off
potential investors, says the newspaper.

But some tea traders believe the strike will soon peter out as farmers are
unable to resist tapping into current buoyant world prices for long.

• Financial Times 17/02/98 page 33