The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) on Thursday dismissed claims that it was using faulty weighing machines to exploit tea farmers in Kirinyaga County.
In a statement, the agency said the machines are validated every morning to ensure compliance with the applicable standards.
WEIGHING SCALES
“We take seriously complaints from our farmers, including complaints of tampering with weighing scales. We wish to state that all weighing machines used at tea buying centres across all KTDA-managed factories are by law annually verified and stamped by weights and measures department,” the Agency operations Director Alfred Njagi said in the statement.
According to Mr Njagi, it is a criminal offence to tamper with the weighing equipment.
He warned that anyone found tampering with the weighing scales is liable for prosecution, aside from the agency’s internal disciplinary mechanisms.
