Embu coffee farmers set to get better prices as foreign buyers seek their crop

Coffee farmers in Embu County are set to benefit from better prices for their crop after international buyers from eight coffee processing countries expressed interest in buying already milled produce from the area.

A delegation from United States, Brazil, Columbia, Canada, Thailand, Ukraine, Australia and China hailed the county’s coffee as of high quality which they said is assured of a ready market.

They said the farmers stand to earn at least Sh100 per kilo of coffee if the deal with the Embu County government sails through.

The Specialty Coffee Association of America intends to buy already milled coffee at international rates which it will process, brand and package it in their countries.

The association's sales manager Lisa Pacini said the demand for coffee in the world has increased over the years and thus expects the deal to bridge the gap as well as improve production in coffee-growing countries.

Embu Governor Martin Wambora said streamlining coffee marketing will motivate farmers, increase production and eliminate middlemen who have over the years exploited farmers.

Speaking at the county’s coffee mill in Kavutiri, Mr Wambora said they expect to speed up the completion of the mill so that it starts operations by February 2017.

CONSOLIDATE COFFEE

He said all the coffee produced in the county will be consolidated into one basket for ease of marketing to the international buyers.

Mr Wambora said farmers from the county will also be expected to travel to those countries to learn the use technology to increase the quality of their produce.

The mill, which is owned by 24 coffee societies and supported by the county government, cost farmers over Sh100 million and has taken about two years to complete.

At the same time, the governor welcomed the national government’s decision to give a Sh65 million waiver of debts owed to various coffee societies in Embu County, saying it has come as a huge relief to coffee farmers.

“We now want to start negotiating for any balance on the coffee mill so that the national government writes it off altogether,” he said.

Interim head of the Coffee Directorate Grenville Kiplimo Melli called on county governments to enhance surveillance and patrols in all coffee factories so as to reduce coffee theft.

He also called on coffee factories to ensure all coffee is processed immediately taken to the factories.

The factories should also install CCTV cameras to help catch coffee thieves, he said.