Coffee Board to crack down hard on coffee thieves

By wainaina Ndungu

Private millers and dealers encouraging theft of coffee at pulping factories now stand the risk of having their licenses cancelled.

The cash crop sub-sector regulator, the Coffee Board of Kenya (CBK), blamed the increase in coffee thefts to underhand dealing especially by millers and exporters.

"We are working with security agencies to curb this practice and we have already received reports of parties likely to bear responsibility for the recent spate of thefts," said CBK managing director, Loise Njeru.

Theft of produce has been reported in the last few weeks in Murang’a County, affecting factories in Kangema, Kigumo, Kiharu and Kandara districts.

Njeru who spoke at a coffee production workshop at Kimathi University College in Nyeri, said a miller and an exporter had their licenses cancelled last year after they were implicated in the vice.

Meanwhile, the CBK MD says coffee production in the country is projected to decline to 41,000 metric tonnes this year from 42,000 metric tonnes last year although earnings from the crop are expected to increase by Sh2 billion to Sh18 billion.

Njeru attributed the expected decline to the dry spell currently being witnessed throughout the country but described the last two years as "most exciting times" for the sub-sector with the highest prices ever fetched by the coffee beans.

Increasing international demand for coffee and a weak shilling have both contributed to the increased earnings as Kenyan coffee is traded in dollars at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. According to Ms Njeru, strong demand from non-traditional coffee markets including the US, Russia, Middle East, China and North Africa has helped spur the good tidings.

"Prices are focused to remain firm in the foreseeable future," said Njeru. She however warned that "price fluctuations are inevitable and farmers should prepare for future shocks."