KABARE FARMERS COOPERATIVE SOCIETY LIMITED
Historical Background:
Farmers in Kabare planted their first coffee trees in I954. The Coop has 11 wet mills namely Kiringa, Konyu,Karani, Kiang’ombe, Kaboyo, Mukure, Mukengeria, Kimandi, Kathata, Kiangothe, and Kiamiciri. The Coop is located within Kabare and Kirima locations of Gichugu Division, Kirinyaga East District on the southern slopes of Mount Kenya.
Management & Membership:
The Coop is managed by an elected board of 9 members. Each member represents an electoral zone in the two locations . Currently the Coop has 46 permanent members of staff who are headed by a Secretary Manager. The Secretary Manager oversees the day to day running of the Coop under the supervision of the board.
The 11 Wet mills in the coop have a membership of 12,300 farmers.
Coffee Production:
- The wet mill’s current production stands at 350,000 Kg of Cherry. The Coop has expressed interest in partnering with it’s marketing agent Sustainable Management Services Limited to implement a coffee quality improvement project with the aim of increasing the yields to over 600,000 Kg and getting the wet mill certified Rainforest alliance
Coffee Processing and Marketing:
Farmers selectively hand pick red ripe cherries that are delivered for wet milling the same day. The parchment is then fermented, washed and sun dried . Dry parchment is milled and bagged at Socfinaf coffee mills and then transported to SMS Ltd warehouses. The Coffee is then sold either through the Nairobi Central Auction or directly to overseas buyers.
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Name: |
Karani wet mill, Kabare farmers cooperative Society |
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Country: |
Kenya |
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Region / Area: |
Central Kenya,Kirinyaga East District, Gichugu Division, Kabare Location, Kirima Sub- location |
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No. of Producers: |
1500 Members |
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Average Production: |
350,000 Kg cherry |
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Process: |
Timely and selective hand picking is carried out in Karani. Cherry is delivered to wet mill the same day it is picked. Cherry sorting is carried out at the wet mill prior to the pulping. Red ripe cheries are separated from underipes, overipes and foreign matter. Processing utilizes clean river water (wet processing) that is recirculated before disposal into seepage pits. Sun drying is done before delivery of the coffee to the dry mill for secondary processing. |
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Varieties: |
SL 28, SL34 constitute 95% while the rest is Ruiru 11 |
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Flowering: |
Main crop- March and Fly crop- October each year |
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Average Rainfall: |
1450 -1700 mm per year. The rains are in two seasons , short and long rains. Early crop depends on short rains that come between october – November . Main crop receives adequate rain between March and Juneeach year |
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Altitude: |
1500-1750 Metres Above Sea Level |
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Temperature Range: |
19 – 28 Degree Celsius |
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Soils: |
Deep red volcanic soils |
