Kenya mulls measures to boost coffee farmer's incomes
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, October 23, 2017
NAIROBI, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is set to put in place regulations that will boost coffee farmers' incomes, a senior government official said on Monday.
Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Willy Bett told an agricultural forum in Nairobi that the Coffee (General) Regulations of 2016 will increase the percentage of the coffee price that is retained by farmers.
"Currently farmers get less than 50 percent of sale price. Once the coffee regulations are in place the figure will increase to more than 75 percent of coffee price," Bett told the Coffee Sub-Sector Stakeholders' Consultative Forum.
Bett said presently most of the coffee earnings go to other players in the coffee value chain such as marketers and dealers at the coffee auction.
"We target to ensure that farmers become the biggest beneficiaries of the cash crop given their crucial role in production of the plant," he added.
Bett noted that the regulations aim to increase the farmer's share of coffee price as an incentive for them to expand their coffee production.
The National Taskforce on Coffee Sub-Sectors Stakeholders is developing the coffee regulations in consultation with industry players, he said.
The coffee regulations also aim to overhaul the regulatory regime to ensure that farmers pay less statutory levies.
In order to cushion the farmers from the rising cost of production, the government also plans to introduce subsidies for fertilizers and other key inputs. Enditem
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)