Coffee farmers decry low international market prices

Coffee farmers in Murang’a have decried the low prices on the international market occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The farmers claim that countries that buy coffee from Kenya are struggling to fight the pathogen.

The farmers led by the Chairman of Kagiri Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Kigumo Sub-county James Kibugu are now appealing to the government to come up with measures to cushion them.

Kabugu said that the economic recovery measures being employed by the government should also include consideration for the coffee sub-sector.

Speaking at Kigumo trading centre, Kibugu said despite an increase in coffee production this year, marketing of the cash crop has faced numerous challenges mainly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He noted that the situation has been compounded by the cancelation of flights by many airlines in the wake of the pandemic.

Kibugu appealed to the government to fast track the release of cherry advance funds to cushion farmers from financial difficulties.