By Bernard Munyao and Purity Mugo
The government has allocated Sh500 million in the supplementary budget to facilitate propagation and distribution of coffee seedlings to farmers.
Principal Secretary for state department for cooperatives Patrick Kilemi said the programme aims to increase production, with 20 million coffee seedlings earmarked for distribution to farmers across all coffee growing regions annually.
Kilemi, speaking in Murang’a where he met coffee farmers on Friday, noted Coffee Research Institute (CRI) and New KPCU will be entrusted with responsibility of propagating seedlings of high yielding coffee varieties.
He stated that coffee production in the country is still low compared to other neighbouring coffee producing nations.
“Last year, Kenya produced 50,000 metric tons while Uganda produced 400,000 metric tons and Ethiopia produced 750,000 metric tons of coffee.
We want our farmers to plant recommended coffee seedlings as we target to increase our production by more than ten times. Properly planted and well nurtured coffee can produce more than 40 kilos per bush,” said Kilemi at Ihura stadium.
Old coffee bushes, the PS said, are to blame for low production, saying a coffee bush can only be properly productive for a period of 20 years.
He noted that government has revitalized coffee sector and farmers have been receiving lucrative prices from their coffee.
“The reforms government is implementing in coffee sector are bearing fruits. We managed to remove cartels at Nairobi Coffee Exchange as we separated licensing of millers, buyers and brokers,” he added.
To increase production of coffee, Kilemi averred that government is also streamlining distribution of subsidized fertilizer to farmers.
He remarked that New KPCU has been mandated to source fertilizer from National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and take it to coffee factories where farmers can access it easily.
“The New KPCU has also been mandated to distribute chemicals which government has subsidized at about 40 percent so as to control diseases and pests that affect coffee production,” noted PS.
He said revitalization of coffee will greatly contribute to country’s GDP, observing that average price of a kilo of coffee in some areas currently is more than Sh100.
“Worldwide, coffee is number two after oil. Value of coffee trade in world is estimated to be around 600 billion US Dollars. Kenya in 2023 got Sh33 billion from coffee. Well natured and managed coffee can see returns from cherry surpass income realized from tea,” stated PS.
Government, Kilemi observed, targets to generate Sh1 trillion from coffee in near future, saying returns can only be achieved by cooperation with farmers for increased coffee production and attaining required cherry quality.
Meanwhile, PS said government is working to replace aging pulping equipment in all coffee factories with modern machines.
He noted that old machines have occasioned farmers to incur losses and also interfered with coffee quality.
PS further announced that government has factored Sh6.8 billion in budget to clear coffee debts, saying this will see an increment of farmers’ income.
“After verification of accrued coffee debts by societies, it was established the needed amount is Sh6.8 billion which has been factored in next financial budget. By August, debts will be cleared and farmers will be relieved from financial burden,” remarked Kilemi.
On his part, Murang’a governor Irungu Kang’ata said his administration will set aside some funds in next financial year to support farmers.
Funds, he said, will facilitate farmers to increase production, saying from next month, a team from county government will tour USA and China to search for a market for Murang’a coffee.
“We are delighted as coffee factories in Murang’a this year have paid farmers at average of Sh115 per kilo. This is a landmark payment,” said Kang’ata.
He added that some factories like Wanjengi paid Sh141, Kahuhia main Sh122, Ngwethe Sh120, Kaganda Sh119 and Mutheru Sh116 per kilo.
“In recent past, a kilo of coffee was being paid at Sh20 and we laud government for revamping coffee sector which will ensure farmers have more income,” he added.
Governor said his administration has taken various measures to support coffee farming in county, noting that already they have trained cooperative leaders.
Farmers led by Francis Ngone asked government to drop Direct Settlement System (DSS), saying move will affect operations of cooperative societies.
DSS, Ngone said, should be done away with and farmers continue receiving their payments from their factories.
“Government needs to reconsider DSS; farmers deliver their coffee to factories and being paid directly will see factories fail in their operations,” he added.
