Farmers benefitting from group marketing

MEMBERS of the Huwa Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Society Ltd in Lufa, Eastern Highlands, are benefitting from group marketing and the current high price of coffee.
The 213 farmers from 23 villages were involved in the second year of group marketing, producing 1,366 coffee parchment bags.
There were only 149 members last year.
From a total of 71,561kg parchment coffee, 56,497kg of green bean coffee were processed earning the group a gross income of K667,592.
The group’s green bean coffee was sold at K11.80/kg.
After deducting expenses such as transport, labour and processing fee, a net income of K634,915 was paid to the farmers who supplied the coffee.
Cooperative group overseer Edric Famundi said there had been a big improvement in prices received for their green bean sales from K10 to K11.80 per kg.
It saw an increase in income from K220,000-plus in 2020 to K660,000 plus this year.
“There has been a change in the farmers’ mindsets where previously male farmers who would stand at point of sale to collect cash while their hard working wives watched without saying anything now told their wives to receive the cash payment.
“This is a good sign and many more farmers will now be able to build new permanent houses from their coffee money.”
CIC acting chief executive officer Charles Dambui said farmers who organised themselves in such groups were more likely to receive assistance from government and donor agencies.
“We recognise this group has been consistent in its production processes as well as shows great potential in improving and maintaining the kind of coffee quality it produces,” Dambui said.