This is how State can ensure coffee farmers get good prices

A coffee farmer sorts out coffee berries at Dedan Kimathi University of Science and Technology in Nyeri on October 3, 2023. [Kibata Kihu, Standard]

The coffee sub-sector is now different for three main reasons. One, the volumes of coffee traded at the auction, two the prices being realised and finally the players. This started in 2019 when coffee regulations were drafted aimed at addressing the many challenges faced by farmers.

Farmers have always complained of multiple licensing in the sector. This has the probability of causing a conflict of interest. Multiple licensing is where a company gets a coffee dry milling license, gets a warehousing license, a coffee marketing license and finally a coffee buying license.