Coffee farmers in the Komothai Coffee Society are now smiling after witnessing pay rise from lows of 11 shillings per kilo of cherry to sn sll timehigh of 87 shillings in less than a year.
Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba who joined members of the Komothai Coffee Growers Cooperative Society in Githunguri Constituency, Kiambu County today, during their annual general meeting commended coffee reforms as the reason for the rise in payment.
The MP however asked that law governing the sector to allow farmers to be in charge of their affairs and their returns and payments be sent directly to their accounts.
Wamuchomba explained that the financial affairs of the factories are managed at the factory gate, ensuring that farmers receive their money directly.
“They remit only a percentage to the society’s accounts, which is agreed upon to cover policy and regulatory functions. This arrangement allows the factories to operate with the necessary transparency,” she noted.
The Komothai Cooperative Society, comprising the Riakahara, Gathiru-ini, Barikongo, Kagwanja, Kirura, Korokoro, Githongo, Thiururi, Kaibu, New Thuita, Kanake, Gatuyu, and Kamuchege factories, is one of the leading SACCOs owned by small-scale coffee growers
Wa Muchomba, along with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Kiambu Senator Karungo wa Thang’wa and other leaders, visited several coffee factories in the constituency last week during a one-day working tour that focused on the ongoing reforms in the coffee sub-sector.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua then urged parliamentarians to Fastrack and expedite the Coffee Bill, 2023 and the Cooperatives Bill, 2023 to put more money into the pocket of the farmer in order to also cement and fully realize benefits of the reforms as envisioned by the farmers.
The visit comes amidst the government’s scaled-up efforts to improve the coffee sub-sector.
According to the Nairobi Coffee Exchange market report, sale one took place on Tuesday, October 1, with an average price equivalent to Sh100 per kilo of cherry. The total value of coffee traded was Sh468 million.
The number of bags confirmed by the close of business was 2,493, representing 22 percent of the volumes traded. A total of 134 bags, or one percent of the volume traded, attracted a price of USD 300 and above.
Additionally, 7,000 bags, representing 61 percent of the volumes traded, were graded AA and AB.
By John Kariba
