Murang'a coffee farmers want more cash for their produce.
The farmers from Marumi in Kigumo subcounty said more money is needed to save the crop as many residents are shifting to cultivate other crops.
The farmers met in Kigumo on Tuesday.
They said poor prices for their produce hurts, prompting them to shift to macadamia, peas and avocado.
The farmers say the region’s economy has in two years dwindled because they get little income from coffee.
They say farm inputs and labour costs have surpassed the income.
Marumi tea factory chairman Francis Kiarie said the national and county governments must channel more cash to the cooperatives managing coffee.
“Farmers are tired of working tirelessly on their farms and getting little proceeds. The government must review the prices for the sake of our economy,” he said.
Kiarie said there is a need to save the cash crop from being dropped by farmers.
He said in past years coffee and tea farming were profitable.
“Our parents paid for our education with proceeds from coffee but nowadays the cash is not enough to feed a family,” Kiarie said.
He lashed out at Murang’a Farmers Cooperative Union management, after an investigative report indicated there have been misappropriation of cash disbursed by the government to waive farmers’ debts.
A cooperative officer from Murang’a, Kinoru Mwegwa, urged farmers to insure their coffee.
He told farmers to avoid selling their coffee to brokers.
“Take care of your coffee and it will fetch good prices,” Mwegwa said.