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We reduced coffee loss, says governor [Nation (Kenya)]
[August 21, 2014]

We reduced coffee loss, says governor [Nation (Kenya)]


(Nation (Kenya) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The milling of Nyeri's coffee centrally at Sagana has resulted in the reduction of losses from over 35 per cent to 17 per cent, Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua has said.

In addition, superior grades — AA, AB, and PB — increased from five per cent to over 38 per cent, according to the governor.

"With elimination of price fluctuations, societies can only expect better payment rates going forward," he told farmers at Thangathi Coffee Factory in Mukuruweini on Wednesday.

The governor said direct marketing enabled the county to realise better prices and opened up the region to new buyers who had been blocked by coffee cartels.

According to a new marketing initiative adopted by 20 out of 23 coffee societies last year, farmers from Kahiraini Coffee Factory in Mathira Constituency will receive Sh80 per kilogramme of cherry.

Last year, they were paid Sh12.30 per kilogramme.

Those from Kiuu in Mukurwe-ini Constituency will receive the lowest amount, Sh38 per kilogramme. In the previous years, they were paid Sh32 for the same quantity.

ISSUED A DIRECTIVE In May, all farmers who took their coffee for central milling at Sagana were paid Sh10 per kilogramme of cherry in advance.




The governor said he had issued a directive that deduction from farmers' proceeds, which had been 20 per cent, should be reduced.


"For all factories, it will not exceed five per cent of the net returns and we shall increase transparency in the entire value chain which will result in stable coffee business in the years to come." He said the county government had faced challenges from cartels that had blocked Nyeri's coffee from accessing the market by claiming that they were brokers for the county.

"The adverse campaign was both local and international." The breakthrough, he said, was on March 24, when the National Government intervened.

"Therefore, Nyeri coffee was four months late into the market. This delay led to loss of opportunity to sell Nyeri coffee when the prices were at the peak." The governor said even after that, the cartels tried to disparage the county's new marketing initiative through influential people.

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