Kiunjuri: Coffee farmers to get Sh1.3bn subsidised fertiliser

The government has set aside Sh2.8 billion to supply subsidised fertiliser to coffee farmers, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri said on Monday.

Speaking at Kabiruini grounds in when he officially opened the Central Agricultural Society of Kenya fair, Mr Kiunjuri said Sh1.3 billion fertiliser for this season has already been purchased.

“During the long rains from April to May, the government will again buy another consignment of Sh1.5 billion fertiliser. A bag of subsidised fertiliser goes for only Sh1,500,” the minister said.

He added that the government is doing so in order to revive the coffee industry.

Mr Kiunjuri insisted that the fertiliser is for coffee farmers only.

“We want to increase annual production of coffee from 40,000 to 100,000 tonnes in the coming four years,” Mr Kiunjuri said.

COFFEE SEEDLINGS

“Foreign exchange for the government should increase. That will also push our GDP up by about three to four per cent.”

The minister said the government has come up with a programme to distribute two million coffee seedlings in the next rainy season.

“This will ensure our farmers get coffee varieties that are high-yielding and resistant to diseases,” he added.

He said corruption was the main reason some farmers resorted to uprooting their coffee bushes.

The Cabinet Secretary said corruption and exploitation starts at the weighing and pulping stages in coffee co-operative societies.

“For how long shall we exploit our people? A woman takes 50 kilogrammes of coffee to a factory but is paid for just 30 kilogrammes,” he said.

POULTRY FARMING

He added that weighing and pulping machine problems must be addressed urgently.

Mr Kiunjuri also urged farmers to cultivate other crops like macadamia, avocado and pyrethrum.

He told them to try other ventures such as poultry farming.

“The government will subsidise and distribute macadamia and avocado seedlings. Not many farmers can afford the seedlings because one goes for between Sh300 and Sh400,” he added.

Mr Kiunjuri said he and his Trade counterpart Peter Munya have been instructed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to ensure coffee farming becomes a profitable once again.

“We are committed to reviving the industry. Fore the first time in many years, the government has decided to take this matter seriously,” Mr Kiunjuri said.

He explained that his Ministry will ensure there is development of the sector while Trade Ministry will deal with promotion and marketing.