Sh72m coffee machine arrives

Coffee farmers from Kavutiri area in Embu County will benefit from a Sh72 million coffee milling machine. The machine with a capacity of 2.8 tonnes per hour was procured from Brazil and was financed through a loan from Commodities Fund advanced to 21 cooperative societies in the county.

The idea of a county mill was the initiative of Murue Cooperative Society long before the county government was constituted but other coffee cooperatives were incorporated bringing membership to 110,000 farmers.

Hundreds of farmers turned up to receive the consignment last week. Also present were County Secretary Raymond Kinyua, Agriculture Chief Officer Francis Kathuri, County Commissioner of Cooperatives David Muriuki and the mill chairman David Maruku. The entire cost of setting up the mill is projected at Sh125 million.

“The mill is a big milestone towards improving coffee farming in the county and in the region. We are inviting private millers and other cooperative societies which have not joined in so that we can work together and benefit from economies of scale,” said Mr Kinyua.

The county also plans to add value by packing, branding and market their coffee together to realise more income to farmers.