The Kisii County Government has issued a directive barring Coffee Cooperative Societies from taking the produce outside the county for milling.

In a circular signed by the County Executive Committee member in charge of agriculture, livestock, fisheries and cooperative development Vincent Sagwe, the county government directs that all coffee be milled centrally.

All 22 Coffee cooperative societies will now deliver their produce to the Gusii Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union for milling and marketing.

"As we reorganise the operations of the coffee sector with a view to enhancing farmers’ earnings, it has been decided that all coffee from the societies is forwarded to their union for milling and marketing," read the circular in part.

A task force report on the coffee sector released last week identified a weak regulatory framework and unsustainable debts in societies as some of the issues facing the sector.

The report recommends centralized milling and marketing, review of policies regarding borrowing, prosecution of persons implicated in corrupt dealings, issuance of payslips to farmers and a feasibility study on optimal value addition among others.

"Over the years, coffee has been the mainstay of the county’s economy. However,  this sector has been riddled with a lot of malpractice including undervaluing of produce, management teams receiving advance payments and taking loans without farmers’ knowledge, coffee theft and corruption," said Governor James Ongwae.

The governor accused government officials in the cooperatives sector of conniving with workers to elect bad leaders leading to the near collapse of the coffee industry in Kisii.

"I thank the committee for its work and we intend to implement its recommendations in full. We shall set up a subcommittee to deal purely on marketing and undertake feasibility studies on value addition in collaboration with neighbouring counties of Migori, Nyamira and Homabay," said the governor.

The task force recommends that the County Government finds land for the construction of an ultra-modern coffee house and mall in a Public, Private Partnership model and centralize milling and marketing to guarantee payment to farmers.

"Uncoordinated milling is a major anomaly that has created a conduit for stealing from farmers. Lack of a brand identity and a niche market are challenges that must be urgently addressed through a policy framework going forward," said Sagwe.