How to Apply for Tea Manufacturing License in Kenya

Tea processing is the method in which the leaves from the tea plant Camellia sinensis are transformed into the dried leaves for brewing tea. Let us learn How to Apply for Tea Manufacturing License in Kenya

The categories of tea are distinguished by the processing they undergo. In its most general form, tea processing involves different manners and degrees of oxidation of the leaves, stopping the oxidation, forming the tea and drying it.

The innate flavor of the dried tea leaves is determined by the type of cultivar of the tea bush, the quality of the plucked tea leaves, and the manner and quality of the production processing they undergo. After processing, a tea may be blended with other teas or mixed with flavourants to alter the flavor of the final tea.

Procedure

• Before granting any registration, the Board checks;
• that the applicant is not a director of a company having a direct commercial relationship with the tea factory that they intend to offer management services to;
• that the applicant has the necessary management capacity to carry on tea manufacturing business for which the license is required;
• that the applicant has the necessary educational, professional qualifications and management capacity to carry on the business of tea management agent and that at least one (1) director and one (1) employee who is the Chief Executive Officer of the applicant company has at least five (5) years of proven experience at senior management level; and
• Where the applicant intends to offer agency services including marketing and payment to growers, the applicant shall provide evidence of security or indemnity of 0.5% of annual business turnover or equivalent Bank guarantee or bond from a recognized institution.
• A firm applying for registration as a management agent shall attach a letter of support from the respective producers stating that they are satisfied that the applicant has sufficient capacity to offer the services being applied for.
  

Apply Online

1. To register as a Tea Manufacture in Kenya, one has to make a formal online application with the Tea Directorate of the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA).
2. This can be done by visiting the Agriculture and Food Authorities’ Website and clicking on the Tea portal under the portal icon on the website page.
3. This will direct you to the AFA Tea Directorate e-Portal where you can make your application for registration.
4. Click on the ”Click here to register” link so as to begin your registration process.
5. On the next page you are supposed to select the year you wish to register for and select the category you wish to apply for using the dropdown menu. Choose the financial year you wish to apply for and in the “Select category you wish to register for” select “Tea Manufactue license”.
6. By selecting the “Tea manufacuring license” a checklist of documents for registration as a Tea Manufacture will pop up. The checklist of information that will be required to complete your application. You should proceed when you have all the information ready.
7. A list of required documents is also mentioned in the “Required Document” section of this page.
8. Details of the fee payable area also displayed. The fee is payable only after the registration has been vetted and approved. Please do not apply a payment until you are requested to do so.
9. Click on “proceed” to go to the next page.
10. On the next page fill in the required information for registration as a Tea Management Agent. This includes the applicant details and Organization details.
11. After filling the information click on “Save applicant’s details”. This will prompt an email to be sent to your email address.
12. Log-in to your email address to verify your account.
13. After verifying your account Upload the required documents.
14. After you have uploaded the documents you will receive a message informing you that your application is under review and you will be contacted once the application is approved.
15. Once your application is approved you will receive communication in your email address and your AFA Tea Directorate e-Portal informing you on the progress and payment details.
16. Proceed to make the payment for registration. The amount of fees to be paid can be found under the “Fees” section of this page, the amount will also be sent to your email address and your AFA Tea Directorate e-Portal
17. Submit your proof of payment in your AFA Tea Directorate e-Portal account by logging into your account and uploading the proof of payment receipt.
18. Once the proof of payment is verified a copy of the registration certificate will be sent to your AFA Tea Directorate e-Portal account which you can print or retrieve anytime Tea Manufacturing License in Kenya

Required Documents -Tea Manufacturing License in Kenya

1. Audited Accounts from Registered External Auditors (Current) (PDF Documents to be uploaded)
2. Certificate of Company Incorporation (Valid Copy to be attached) (PDF Documents to be uploaded)
3. Directors National Identity Cards/ Passport ( To attach Copies) (PDF Documents to be uploaded)
4. Environmental Impact Assessment from NEMA (PDF Documents to be uploaded)
5. Factory Trade Mark ( Mark under which tea is sold at the auction)
6. Names and the Particulars of Directors (Valid/ stamped details to be attached)
7. Project feasibility report detailing: Source of green leaf, Tea products to manufacture, Source of wood-fuel energy (PDF Documents to be uploaded)
8. Receipt/Bankers Cheque/ Payment advice (PDF Documents to be uploaded)
9. The Food, Drugs, and Chemical Substances (Food Hygiene Regulations) Licence (Cap 254) by the Public Health Department (Valid Copy to be attached) (PDF Documents to be uploaded)

Office Locations & Contacts

Tea Directorate
Agriculture and Food Authority
Tea House; Naivasha Road, off Ngong Road
P.O Box 37962 – 00100, Nairobi
Cell Phone: +254-722200556/734600944
Wireless: +254 – 020 – 2536869/2536886
E-Mail: info@afa.go.ke
Website: Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA)

AFA Tea Directorate e-Portal

Eligibility – Tea Manufacturing License in Kenya

• Any person, co-operative society, marketing board or company wishing to engage in the Tea Business as a Tea Management Agent.

Fees

• Registration fee Ksh 10,000
• The fee is payable only after the registration has been vetted and approved. Please do not apply a payment until you are requested to do so.

Validity

• The license is valid for a period of one year.

Documents to Use

• Applications are done online through the AFA Tea Directorate e-Portal

Processing Time – Tea Manufacturing License in Kenya

• 30 days

Required Information

1. Applicant details (Name of the applicant, Email address ,TAX PIN number , Mobile number)
2. Organization details (Organization Name , Email , Mobile number, Physical address , Postal Address .TAX PIN number , Certificate of Incorporation ,Division , Nature of business , Services provided )

Need for the Document

• This registration allows an institution to engage as a tea management agent in Kenya. One cannot operate as a Tea Management Agent in Kenya unless they are registered by the Tea Directorate of the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA)
• A Tea Management Agent is any person, co-operative society, marketing board or company established under any written law, that is appointed through a specific management contract or agreement by another person or company to perform or offer professional services in specific functions of production, processing or marketing of tea but does not include a buyer, broker or packer of tea.

Information which might help

1. The licensing authority shall issue licenses to applicants subject to such lawful conditions as the authority may determine.
2. Every license shall specify the premises upon which the business specified in the license may be carried on.
3. Licenses issued shall remain in force until the thirtieth of June next following the date of issue, unless earlier cancelled.
4. There shall be fees payable for the issue of licenses under this Act. Such fees are as the licensing authority may prescribe.
5. The total fees charged will depend on the turnover of the dealer and shall not overburden small scale dealers and the cumulative total of all levies and fees payable shall in any event not exceed ten per cent of the gate value of the agricultural or aquatic product.
6. The licensing authority shall, at least thirty days before granting a license, give notice of the proposed grant in the Gazette and in such other manner as the authority may determine.
7. The notice referred to in subsection (6) shall—(i). specify the name or other particulars of the person or class of persons to whom the license is to be granted;(ii). state the purpose for the proposed license and indicate the date such license is proposed to be issued to the successful applicant; and(iii). invite objections to the proposed grant of license and direct that such objections be lodged with the Authority within fourteen days next following the date of the notice.
8. The licensing authority may after considering the objections, if any, grant the license applied for, subject to such terms and conditions specified
9. The issuance of a license to an applicant under this Act shall not be withheld without reasonable cause.

External Links

• CROPS ACT NO. 16 of 2013
• Service Charter

Others

About Tea Directorate

• The Tea Directorate was formed following the repeal of the Tea (Amendment) Act, 2011 , following the commencement of the Crops Act, 2013 on 1st August 2014.

Mandate of the Tea Directorate

1. License tea manufacturing factories;
2. Register buyers, Warehousemen,
3. Management agents and any other person dealing in tea;
4. Promote Kenya tea in both the local and the international markets.