This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
Published on July 10, 2020, a significant milestone was reached for coffee farmers in Kenya as they were set to receive Sh94 million as part of their third and final payment for the season.
The payment, which was made by the New Kenya Planters Co-operative Union (KPCU), brings the total amount paid to farmers and private coffee estates to over Sh120 million for the first, second, and third seasons.
According to KPCU Chairman Henry Kinyua, the union received 9,341 bags of parchment coffee, equivalent to 434,285 kilogrammes, from farmers in Murang'a, Kiambu, and Nyeri, among other private coffee estates.
Notably, this is the first time the restructured entity has done marketing of coffee since being bailed from receivership by the national government in 2009.
Under the receivership, the firm's operations were taken over by consultancy firm Deloitte on behalf of the debenture holder, the Kenya Commercial Bank.
Chairman Kinyua noted that farmers have been paid for their coffee after every sale, with the union partnering with the Kenya National Trading Corporation to supply fertiliser to farmers at Sh2,000 per 50kg bag.
Many farmers have benefited from this initiative, and the union continues to receive requests for the same from societies and private estates.
