Almost two thousand coffee farmers have benefited from Ksh 38.3M from the Coffee Cherry Advance revolving fund.
Data from the New Kenya Planters co-operative union shows that between July 22nd and 29th this year, 1,919 farmers from fourteen coffee-growing counties received Ksh 38,273,454 from the fund.
Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Kiambu, and Kericho counties received the lion’s share of the cherry fund, each receiving Ksh 692.7M, Ksh 566.7M, Ksh 551.3M, and Ksh 507.6M, respectively.
Kakamega, Homa Bay, and West Pokot counties received the smallest fund share, each receiving Ksh 170,000, ksh 300,000 and ksh 750,000, respectively.
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The Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund (CCARF) was established to provide smallholder coffee farmers with an affordable, sustainable, and accessible cherry advance.
The new KPCU was mandated to manage and administer the fund to coffee farmers as per the Public Finance Management Act (Coffee Cherry Advance Revolving Fund) Regulations 2020.
Section 9 of the regulations indicates that a smallholder coffee estate or smallholder coffee grower shall be eligible to benefit from the fund if that person is a citizen of Kenya, a member of a registered coffee co-operative society, or affiliated with New KPCU.
As of December 20, 2023, the fund is currently disbursed at the rate of Ksh 40 per kg at the factory level. The second disbursement is done at:
- P1 Additional Kshs. 40 per Kg of cherry.
- P2 Additional Kshs. 20 per kg of cherry.
- P3 Additional Kshs. 10 per kg of cherry.
- PL and Mbuni will not be eligible for additional advances.
CCARF fund does not accrue any interest. Farmers are only charged a one-off 3% administrative fee.
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