Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has asked the National government to waive Sh603 million debt owed to coffee cooperative societies in the county.

Addressing farmers on Tuesday at Kainga village in Kangundo Sub-county when she hosted Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui during the launch of Coffee Cherry Advance Fund in Kangundo sub-county, Wavinya said farmers needed the waiver in order to start on a clean slate.

She said the debt was small compared to what the National government had waived to farmers in other regions across the country.

“I am appealing to the National government to consider extending debt waiver to our coffee farmers, as it happened to sugar and tea farmers in other parts of the country,” the governor said.

Wavinya also asked the government to reconsider plans to tax coffee farmers, saying they were already burdened with high cost of inputs due to poor economy.

However, Chelugui said the government had now embarked on serious reforms of the coffee sector including the Coffee Cherry Advance Fund, re-establishment of the Coffee Board of Kenya and licensing of 14 unions to represent the farmers.

He said a total of Sh6.2 billion has been allocated to the Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund this Financial Year. The CS assured farmers of getting at least Sh80 per kilogramme of coffee through the Cherry Advance Revolving Fund.