Small-scale coffee farmers contracted to Nyamonya Farmers Cooperative Society have raised concern over delayed coffee sales delivered to the Gusii Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union for milling and marketing.
The farmers led by Mary Getaka and Daudi Mageuzi cried foul over the delayed sales and payment to farmers, wondering why the coffee produce which was delivered to the Gusii-run coffee mill late last year, through instructions by the Kisii county government is yet to be sold to pay the farmers.
Speaking to us on Tuesday morning at the society's headquarters in Nyakegogi shopping centre, Sameta sub-county, the farmers lamented that unlike the previous seasons where their coffee produce was delivered for milling and marketing in Central Kenya commercial millers, this time it was delivered to the Gusii Coffee Mill which they claimed has taken long to mill and market the produce .
"Previously our coffee used to be milled and marketed by Commercial Coffee Millers in Central Kenya but the Kisii County Government directed that our coffee be delivered at Gusii coffee mills for milling and marketing," said Getaka.
"The idea was to relief farmers of the transport costs and maximise returns.This is yet to happen making farmers lose confidence in the local mill," added Getaka.
Mageuzi said despite relieving coffee farmers of the transportation costs, the local coffee mill has taken long to meet the farmers' expectations in terms of milling and marketing of their produce.
He also lamented that they have not paid them paid expeditiously as it used to be when their coffee was milled and marketed by commercial millers outside the region.