The rampant theft of coffee in factories has forced Murang’a farmers to sell their produce to brokers for better returns.
Their decision to sell directly to brokers has elicited fears among key players who say hawking will destabilise the market.
The sale of coffee has for decades been managed by co-operative societies.
Thanga-ini coffee co-operative society chairman Hiram Mwangi warned warned of the collapse of co-operatives if the farmers’ decision is not reversed.
Mwangi said brokers had lured the farmers with promises of quick money. Further, the direct sale to brokers will promote theft of coffee in the farms. “That will obviously cause unmanageable chaos,” he said.
The official, who is also Amica sacco chairman, said the sector needed co-operative societies to remain sustainable.
The societies run factories that collect coffee from farmers, dries it and sells it to millers.
“We suspect some private coffee millers are behind the farmgate sale of coffee berries with the intent of destabilising factories so that they can control the market,” he said.
Private millers, Mwangi said, have for a long time been trying to bring down the factories by sponsoring conflicts among farmers.
He cited incidences where farmers engage in fistfights during annual general meetings of some factories.
Mwangi’s warning came even as a section of farmers affiliated to Kangiri coffee society threatened to leave the group and sell their coffee to hawkers.
The farmers decried exploitation by the society and lack of consultations during the appointment of marketing agents.
“They keep us in the dark on how our coffee is sold,” Millicent Wanjiru said.
The farmers also accused the management of the co-operative societies of embezzlement of funds.
“I want to sell my coffee to brokers because it will give me fast cash to support my family,” Wanjiru said.
She said society payments are meagre. Patrick Mwangi said farmers who are outspoken and question the operations of the society are often victimised.
He said they have no control over the payments they get for their harvests despite working hard on their farms.
Most factories have been affected by coffee thefts which are often blamed on the management.
Some farmers go without pay for years after their factories are consistently broken into and the berries stolen. Kianderi coffee factory in Kahuro has lost coffee worth Sh6.1 million in two thefts since 2016. Nobody has ever been arrested for the theft.
Its 720 farmers were not paid last year. They said they have lost faith in the societies as they are incapable of protecting their produce.
in Kigumo picks coffee berries in her farm