Leaders give co-operative societies go-ahead to sell coffee to Italy

Five coffee cooperative societies have been allowed to fast track plans to sell produce to an Italian market.

Murang’a County Assembly endorsed a deal between societies and an Italian firm after a team conducted an exploratory tour.

The five societies are Thikagiki, Kinogerama, New Gatanga, Gatunyu Kigio and Kanyenya ini farmers cooperative societies, whose management signed a Memorandum of Understanding  with Ibarico sri Italy.

Assembly’s Agriculture Committee Chairman Charles Kahoro said Sh358,344,000 will be required to train farmers to enable them produce the best quality for the Italian market.

The amount will also facilitate processing of certifications from regulatory bodies to enable Murang’a coffee find a niche in the export market.

The committee, Mr Kahoro said, toured Italy between September 24 and October 6, where Murang’a Farmers Cooperative Union signed the pact on behalf of the cooperatives based in Gatanga and Kangema sub-counties.

“The cooperation between the Italian firm and the five societies is an indomitable interrelation that will improve quality of coffee grown in the region. It will also raise demand, hence better prices for the farmers,” he said.

The report was supported by Wangari Kigo and Amos Murigi, who said it was a wise decision for the assembly to support an initiative that will bring better returns to long-suffering farmers.

Mr Murigi said the county assembly should assist the farmers to get better prices for their produce to end decades of poor returns.