Munya cools simmering row, extends coffee trading licences for one year
The government has extended coffee trading rules for one more year, ending a simmering row between farmers, marketing agents and Capital Markets Authority.
At the same, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya announced plans to review the Capital Markets (Coffee Exchange), Regulations 2020 and Crops (Coffee) General Regulations 2019 to end the current standoff between various coffee value chain players.
“I signed a Kenya Gazette on the extension of the trading licenses and a three month extension of Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) management committee.
I will in the next three weeks present the repealed version of the regulations for public participation,” he said yesterday.
Munya, while addressing farmers’ at Kenya Planters’ Cooperative Union (KPCU) Dandora Mills, regretted that sale 24, did not take-off this week at the NCE as proper transition logistics were not put in place.
The extension of the licenses comes barely a few hours after a farmers lobby –Kenya Coffee Producers Association (KCPA) called for suspension of the rules until all the structures and systems had been out in place including amending the Crops Act, 2013.
Chairman Peter Gikonyo while addressing the media outside Kenya Planters Co-operative Union (KPCU) head offices said the suspension of this week’s auction increased economic loss to farmers, especially for those who had borrowed loans.
“As farmers, we already have existing contracts with marketing agents and we have released our coffee to them for sale.
