Kenyan Coffee Farmers Demand Answers Over Payment System, Alleging Underpricing, Missing Payments And Embezzlement – CoffeeTalk

Mathira coffee farmers in Kenya are demanding answers over missing and delayed payments for the 2024/25 season. They claim they have not been paid for three months after a payment schedule was released, indicating they were to receive Sh110 per kilo of cherry. The growers accuse management committees and marketers of embezzling funds and have called for the resignation of society officials to allow for a thorough investigation.

The farmers have been taken in circles for the past three months, with the management unable to account for their money. They also claim they are losing large amounts of money to society officials and complain of unexplained deductions from their earnings, leading to further frustration and anger. The farmers have called on the Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary, Wycliffe Oparanya, to intervene and address the long-standing problems facing the society.

However, a marketer at the New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (KPCU) claimed that all payments were disbursed two months ago and dismissed the farmers’ allegations as untrue. Society chairman Julius Kogi acknowledged there was a “hitch” in the payment schedule which was currently under review and accused the KPCU of selling the society’s produce at “very low prices” compared to other societies.

The farmers are putting together the relevant documents to present to the authorities for audit, but they are yet to establish what happened to their coffee, which was sold at throwaway prices.

Read More @ Daily Nation