Matungulu MP Stephen Mule has called on local farmers to revive coffee farming, citing a significant increase in coffee prices as an opportunity to return to the once-lucrative crop.
Speaking in Kinyui, Mule highlighted that coffee now sells for sh.80 per kilo, making it a profitable venture again for the farmers.
“Many farmers stopped growing coffee because of low prices, but I bring good news today. The prices of coffee beans have risen significantly. With current prices and new direct markets, farmers can earn good money again by August this year,” said Mule.
For years, the local agricultural economy in Matungulu suffered as coffee prices plummeted, forcing many farmers to uproot their coffee plants.
The community turned to other crops, but none matched the profitability that coffee once provided moreso in Kangundo, Matungulu Kathiani, and Machakos sub-counties.
Mule’s announcement marks a potential turning point for the region as he explained that new direct markets have been established to ensure farmers receive fair prices for their produce, eliminating the need for middlemen who previously took a significant share of the earnings.
“With these direct markets, you will benefit directly from your labor, no middlemen will gain from your sweat,” he assured the farmers.
The MP’s message resonated with the crowd, especially among the older generation who remembered the prosperous days when coffee was the backbone of the local economy.
He promised to engage the Kenya Planters Cooperative Union in training farmers again on coffee farming and make good yields.
