Baringo coffee farmers are moments away from benefitting from a new modern coffee factory build by County government in collaboration with a Korean Investor Rev. Cha Bo Yong at a cost of Kshs 100million.
Speaking when he toured the factory and held a consultative meeting with leaders from Baringo County Coffee Cooperative Societies to assess the progress of the Milling Plant which is 90% complete at its Katimok site, Baringo County Deputy Governor H.E Jacob Chepkwony said after lengthy deliberations they have agreed to apply for a milling and marketing license for the factory in order to operationalize the facility.
“All the farmers’ representatives have agreed that we acquire the necessary documents for us to start milling the current crop which the farmers have started harvesting across the County before December this year,” he announced.
H.E Chepkwony, who is the Chair of the Baringo-Cha Coffee Mill, said that he is happy because their plans to improve coffee production to become the County's leading cash crop was on course after the operationalization of this new modern coffee Plant.
The new factory will mill 1.2 tonnes of coffee per hour before being exported to Korea since there is an existing mutual business partnership with the Korean Investor.
He challenged farmers to expand acreage under coffee since the Plant requires approximately 10tonnes daily for the machine to achieve its full utilization.
“Now that we have supported you with this Mill, there is no reason not to produce enough coffee. No more transporting our coffee harvest to CMS in Eldoret, Nyeri, Sasini or Kipkelion where you at times get paid low prices or incur losses and theft while transporting since this investor will set the price before even you harvesting your coffee,” he added.
Since the advent of devolution, the area under coffee bushes has increased to 2,500 hectares from 800 hectares across the County with Baringo North having the highest number.
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