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Farmers Earn Less After Drop in Coffee Grade
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 18 July 2007 03:37
A report by the Ministry of Agriculture attributes this to the mismanagement of the 29 co-operative societies in the area.
It says coffee earnings dropped from Sh50.3 million in 1999 to Sh30.3 million last year.
Kenya Planters Co-operative Union regional manager Joe Maina said in a statement that the quality of coffee from seven districts had declined as a result of the poor management of the farmers' organisations.
He said complaints had been raised at the International Coffee Organisation over the flooding of the world market with low grade coffee which depressed the price of high grade coffee.
The same concerns were voiced during the union's last annual general meeting in Nairobi.
Mr Maina said the union had started a quality improvement project countrywide which involved educating farmers on proper coffee husbandry.
"We have realised the need to regulate the quality of our coffee by telling 100,000 farmers the need for good quality produce," he said.
He added that once the farmers were aware that payment rates were pegged on the quality of their coffee, they would produce a better crop.
The union is strengthening its extension services by focusing on farmers during field days.
At the same time, the organisation had started an education programme for management committees of the 29 coffee societies.
This involved proper administration of society finances, use of computers and the enhancement of coffee quality at the factories, the manager said.
Another report by the Ministry of Agriculture calls for the overhaul of the management of co-operative societies.
The report, by C. Muyesu says, only 50 per cent of the societies' produce had attained the recommended grade.
