Coffee farmers set to reap big from Norway market

By Daniel Psirmoi

The future of coffee farmers in Mt Elgon is looking bright after a Norwegian based businessman entered into an agreement with a local factory to purchase their coffee.

The businessman, Tim Wendlboy, who is an international coffee roaster signed a deal that would see him purchase over a million kilogrammes of coffee annually from Sasuri Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd in Cheptais District, Mt Elgon Constituency in Bungoma County.

Speakin g to The Standard, Sasuri Factory Chairman Amos Mamboleo said the agreement was a culmination of a prolonged wait for the approval of their products by the client.

“The new development between the businessman and Sasuri is the outcome of a thorough and tireless process of visitations, consultation and product assessment conducted by teams from the two entities,” Mr Mamboleo said.

The chairman noted that it was upon the farmers to work extra hard because the company has a challenge to bridge the gap of about 300,000kg.

“We produced 709,800kg of coffee in the previous financial year and our partner demands a million kilogrammes. I therefore appeal to farmers within Mt Elgon to scale up their production to enable the company honour its obligation within the new arrangement,” he said.

Unstable prices

According to the Mt Elgon District Co-operatives Officer Willys Opemi, a total of 3,403,412 kilogrammes of coffee was delivered by various marketing societies within the region and sold at the rate of Sh65.50 per kilo in 2011.

Despite being the predominant cash crop in the region, the coffee industry has been dodged with various setbacks in the past including exploitation and unstable prices.