KPCU set to kick off Meru coffee milling

The New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (NKPCU) will start milling coffee in Meru next week after completing the process of taking over mills from unions.

Mr Julius Kimathi, technical advisor at the Agriculture ministry said they had met several leaders of coffee societies who had promised to deliver parchment to the plant following the controversial takeover of the facility last month.

START PROCESSING

The NKPCU repossessed Meru Coffee Cooperative Millers Union (MCCMU) amid protests by its officials and the Meru Coffee Cooperative Union (MCCU) who had leased it. They complained that they had not been given adequate notice.

On Monday after a meeting with coffee society leaders at the mill, Mr Kimathi said they had handed over the union’s property and were set to start processing.

“There is no controversy now and we want farmers to know that everything has been sorted out amicably. At least 20 societies have already confirmed they will start delivering coffee to the mill as the new harvesting season begins,” Mr Kimathi said.

“If the union wants their coffee milled here we also welcome them because we are here to assist the farmers,” he added.

SH40 MILLION

MCCMU chairman Zablon Mbaabu confirmed they had secured their coffee worth over Sh40 million that was held at the facility but maintained that a case they had filed protesting the takeover would proceed.

At the same time, Mr Kimathi lashed out at Meru County Assembly MCAs who last Saturday criticised Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya over a planned meeting with a section of the legislators, accusing them of politicising the matter.

“The attacks on the CS were utterly uncalled for because we had followed the right procedure since we notified the assembly speaker of the intended meeting.

The meeting was supposed to articulate issues affecting coffee, tea and miraa farmers in the county but they chose politics instead of development,” said Mr Kimathi.