Coffee growers want State to eliminate middlemen

Coffee growers from various counties in the central region now want the government to eliminate middlemen in the coffee export business by linking them to direct buyers abroad for better returns.

The farmers drawn from Kiambu, Murang’a, Nyeri, Makueni and Machakos counties regretted that despite their toil, they have continued to suffer low incomes due to a dysfunctional system that continues to favour middlemen.

During a training forum organised by Kenya Coffee Producers Association (KCPA) in Thika, Kiambu County, the farmers cited that failure by middlemen to involve them in evaluation of the coffee before determination of the product reserve price and poor auction coffee trading have seen their income melt away over the years.

Further, the farmers added that poor marketing of their produce, infiltration of the sector by insensitive brokers, higher amounts paid in form of agent fees among other challenges have continued to see them receive low returns as cartels in the sector enjoy their toil.

Led by Dunson Kilonzo from Machakos County, the farmers at the same time regretted payment of farmers in shillings while their coffee is sold in the dollar currency, a situation that has seen them work more.