- Meru coffee farmers seek subsidised fertiliser to lower production costs.
- Union secures Sh150 million through Cooperative Bank to support specialised farm inputs.
- Farmers urged to resume coffee farming as prices improve and middlemen are phased out.
Coffee farmers in Meru County have appealed to the national government to consider supplying them with subsidised fertiliser to boost production, quality and earnings.
Meru Central Coffee Cooperative Union Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Duncan Kiambia Marete said other crops, such as maize, already benefit from subsidised fertiliser. He urged the government to extend the same support to the coffee sector.
Speaking to the media at his office in Meru town, Marete said coffee requires specialised fertiliser, unlike other crops. He noted that subsidised input would lower production costs while improving quality and earnings.
“We are appealing to the government to consider supplying coffee farmers with subsidised fertiliser in order to improve production, quality and earnings. Other crops like maize are already enjoying subsidised fertiliser from government coffers. That is why we feel the same gesture should be extended to coffee farmers,” Marete said.
He said high farm input costs remain a major challenge for coffee farmers, calling for subsidised inputs similar to those provided to maize growers. He noted that coffee requires specialised fertilisers, making the crop more expensive to produce.
Marete reassured farmers that the union has contained the situation by securing Ksh 150 million through the Cooperative Bank supply chain financing facility.
He advised cooperative unions to tender for qualified suppliers of specialised inputs before approaching the union office for a letter of guarantorship. He said the document would enable the bank to release funds meant to pay suppliers.
The CEO urged Meru residents to resume coffee farming after many had previously abandoned the crop, saying coffee prices have improved considerably.
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He said the removal of middlemen from the value chain had brought positive changes to coffee production.
“The coffee general regulations of 2019 deliberately removed coffee middlemen. This has brought changes to coffee production. I am optimistic that coffee prices will keep getting better. That is why I keep encouraging farmers to resume coffee farming to boost their earnings from the cash crop. Let me assure farmers that if the quality of the produce increases, the cost per cherry kilogram will improve,” he said.
Marete said coffee is performing well, with the organisation supporting farmers by purchasing and milling their produce before selling it to the highest bidder. He added that efforts to eliminate brokers have helped protect farmers from losing their hard earned income.
Marete promised to work with cooperative unions and other stakeholders to educate farmers on best crop husbandry practices. He said the union is cooperating with factories and cooperative societies to raise the quality of coffee produce.
He cited a lack of tree seedlings, climate change and low youth uptake of coffee farming as some of the other challenges facing the sector.
By John Majau
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