• Coffee production in Kenya has declined over the years from 130,000 metric tons to the current 48,000 metric tons.
• This is attributed to the demotivation of coffee farmers with poor prices, inadequate knowledge/skills gap and high cost of doing business.
Image: ALICE WAITHERA
Coffee farmers have raised concerns over the increased cost of production by Sh10 per kilo of cherry.
Kenya Coffee Producers Association (KCPA) chairman Peter Gikonyo said the current cost of production is Sh41 per kg of cherry from the previous Sh31 per kg of cherry.
“High costs in coffee production cuts across all farm inputs including certified seeds, chemicals and fertilizers,” he said.
While speaking to the Star during an interview, Gikonyo said the government initiative on fertilizer subsidy is welcome in addressing high production costs.
However, the cost of chemicals and even soil testing costs remain a challenge.
Gikonyo said for many years, coffee farmers have endured challenges including low coffee production, low and unpredictable prices, poor farmer financing and conflicting coffee laws and policies.
This is in addition to low utilization of technology, maximum residual limits in traded coffee and trading challenges at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange among other challenges.
Gikonyo said the production of coffee in Kenya has generally been declining over the years.
This is from the high of 130,000 metric tons to the current 48,000 metric tons.
He said this has been occasioned by frustration and demotivation of coffee farmers with poor prices, inadequate knowledge and skills gap and high cost of doing business.
He said coffee farmers have been taken for a ride for a long time and that the reforms proposed in the past have equally not worked.
Gikonyo noted that various reforms have been enacted but no meaningful results have been realized as the drivers of the changes pursue the initiatives without the input of the major producers.
“So as coffee farmers we observe farmer disillusionment, disorganized industry governance and poor return for our produce. Many farmers are abandoning coffee farming and taking up real estate,” Gikonyo added.
Former agriculture minister Peter Munya gazetted new rules –crops (Coffee) (General Amendment Regulations 2022 which the current parliament wants to annul.
National Assembly agriculture committee chairman MP John Mutunga accused the former CS of disregarding Parliament by drafting the regulations and gazetting them before submitting them to the National House as should be the practice.
Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia said the current parliament is determined to rescue the coffee industry from its current woes.
He said policymakers will revive the Senate Coffee Bill 2020 and mend it to ensure farmers benefit.
“Despite Kenya producing some of the best coffee in the world, farmers have continued to grapple, with endless miseries. We will work with all the stakeholders to ensure comprehensive and receptive legislation has been achieved,” said Kagucia.