Coconut farmers stare at losses as seedling sales decline – KBC

Coconut farmers in Kilifi County are staring at millions in loss due to a sharp decline in coconut seedling sales owing to Covid-19 pandemic which has led to a contraction in demand.

The farmers are now calling for the county government’s intervention in the sale of seedlings to cushion them from further losses.

In June 2019, the government set aside Ksh 226 million to put up a coconut processing plant in Mtwapa, Coastal region as part the efforts of revamping the coconut industry, however, the plant remains a pipe dream.

The coconut factory was to be constructed at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute and managed by a palm wine cooperative and a private investor, while the County Government was to play an oversight role.

Further, the onset of Covid-19 has adversely affected coconut farming sub-sector by subduing demand along the supply chain.

The situation has left scores of farmers staring at losses running into millions.

The current situation has made farmers desperate some remembering the hay days when business was booming with nostalgia.

Kenya produces about 124 000 tones of coconut per year from a population of about 9.9 million coconut trees.

Going forward they are appealing to the government to buy off their seedlings and secure their livelihoods.

The coconut plant has several by-products including the coconut fruit popularly known as madafu, coconut oil used to prepare meals and has medicinal value, further the leaves are used as roofing materials, while the husk is ground and used as manure among other uses.