Kirinyaga Governor Ann Waiguru has credited ongoing coffee sector reforms for delivering a record Sh7.4 billion payout to farmers in the county, marking one of the strongest seasons the region has seen in years. The bumper distribution comes as Kirinyaga consolidates its position as the country’s leading county in coffee earnings.
Of the total amount, farmers received Sh6.99 billion directly, with the remaining funds channelled towards factory operational costs. Payments per kilogram of coffee cherry ranged between Sh104 and Sh157.40, and the season’s average settled at Sh139 per kilogram — a solid step up from the previous season’s average of approximately Sh134 per kilogram.
Governor Waiguru attributed the gains to a series of targeted county government interventions rolled out over recent seasons. “Our farmers are once more leading the country with the highest coffee payouts, a clear reflection of quality, strong cooperatives and deliberate support,” she said. Her administration has invested in subsidised quality seedlings and fertiliser support, while also strengthening extension services, running farmer training programmes, and installing solar dryers at processing factories across the county.
Three cooperatives stood out as the season’s top performers. Thirikwa recorded the highest payout at Sh157.15 per kilogram, followed closely by Rung’eto at Sh155.62 per kilogram, while Rwama Cooperative Society posted Sh152.03 per kilogram. The results reflect the consistent quality that Kirinyaga’s smallholder farmers have worked hard to maintain at the farm level.
Production volumes also moved in the right direction. The county’s coffee output grew from 45,717 metric tons in the 2024/2025 season to 49,100 metric tons in the current one, suggesting both increased farmer participation and improved crop management practices on the ground.
Baragwi Cooperative Society chairman Francis Muriithi welcomed the season’s performance, pointing to higher quality cherry and more streamlined support systems as key drivers of the growth. However, Muriithi did not shy away from raising a concern shared widely among coffee growers across the country — he called on the national government to consider forgiving outstanding debts owed by farmers, arguing that such relief would unlock even greater investment in the sector and help sustain the gains already made.
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