Coffee farmers plan to save KPCU

By Wairimu Kamande

Coffee farmers have resolved to raise funds to save the Kenya Planters Co-operative Union (KPCU) from the auctioneers.

During a meeting in Thika on Tuesday, farmers from Central, Nyanza, Rift Valley, and Eastern provinces elected a nine-member committee to negotiate with the Government and the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) over debts KPCU owes.

The farmers expressed surprise that the co-operative, put under receivership last year, had was up for sale.

"KPCU has served coffee farmers since 1937 and we were thus surprised to learn that it is being sold. We met today (on Tuesday) so that we may speak in one voice and rescue it," said Mr Joseph Wathigari, a delegate.

Mr William Gatei, one of the delegates, said they would also mobilise farmers to contribute funds to offset the loans that the union owes.

He said KPCU had assets worth more than Sh3.2 billion and liabilities of about Sh1.3 billion.

The farmers appealed to the Government to help them with funds to repay the debts since the coffee sector remains important to the economy.

The farmers also called on the Government to disclose the names of those who allegedly stole KPCU’s money. They said this would help them pursue the debtors, adding that the defaulters were not even farmers.

The giant co-operative was put under receivership last year and KCB appointed as its receiver, to recover Sh600 million the farmers owe.