Kenya: New facility opened, coffee bill supported

Costing Sh72 million, the brand new Kavutiri milling site in Embu County, Kenya, is hoping to become a focal point for the local coffee community.

Officially opened by Governor Martin Wambora last week, the processing facility has a working capacity of 2.8 tonnes per hour and could potentially employ around 200 people – if the estimated 110,000 farmers within travelling distance come and use the plant.

Being the first plant of its kind in the region, government officials are hoping many of these farmers take their crop to this new facility.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Wambora said that “the mill is meant to assist the farmers in cheaper milling of their produce, which in turn will result [in] higher turnover.”

But if those in attendance were there just simply for a nice photo opportunity and a look around the mill, they were wrong. Also during his speech, Wambora referenced the proposal of a new coffee bill, which would force all farmers to process their harvests locally.

On paper it is a good idea, one that will keep money in regional economies for long. But there have been detractors to the bill, with some people voicing concerns that the quality of machinery available varies from county to county which has can have a negative impact on the final product.

“I will support an initiative which will see all farmers sensitised on the importance of going back to their farms to [increase] productivity,” he said

The National Alliance party member concluded his talk by stating just how crucial coffee – and by proxy this mill – is to the Embu region and the Kenyan economy.