Criminals are causing havoc in the avocado industry, as gangs have re-emerged stealing the fruits in the farms in Murang’a. Murang’a County Avocado Cooperative Union leadership has decried increased criminal activities that have caused ripples in the farmers’ enterprise that injects billions into the county annually.
In a forum convened by union chairman John Mwaniki and former Murang’a Assembly Speaker Nduati Kariuki, the farmers from Maragua, Kandara and Gatanga recounted how they have lost fruits worth millions of shillings to the criminal gangs.
The gangs with ready markets for the stolen fruits, have also destroyed irrigation systems in the farms.They decried that rogue merchants were buying the avocado from the thieves at a throw away price and later sell at a profit to the exporters and processors.
Rampant theft, they said, has discouraged many of the farmers from investing in the avocado farming. Mwaniki said tens of suspects have been apprehended by police in Kandara and prosecuted in connection with theft of the avocado fruits but the situation has not changed.
” We demand action for the purpose of streamlining the avocado value chain as we have agents buying the stolen produce. The fruits later find their way into the processors and exporters packaging stores,” said Mwaniki.
Nduati said it was pathetic that the small-scale farmers are spending nights in their farms to stop the gangs from stealing. He said production of the avocado despite the price offered in the market was likely to reduce owing to the threats involved.
” There is need for a guide to ensure the processors will not be allowed to receive the fruits during the night as a way of discouraging theft of avocados,” said Nduati. He recounted that before he left the county assembly, there was a proposed legislation, Murang’a Avocado Promotion Act 2022, that imposed a fine of Sh500,000 on a suspect found guilty for theft of avocado.
The legislation, he said, needs to be implemented for the interest of the Murang’a farmers presently under the mercy of the notorious gangs. ” The gangs have caused havoc invading farms, stealing the produce estimated at millions of shillings and destroying irrigation systems,” said Nduati.
A farmer Michael Kariuki regretted the destruction caused in his Mitumbiri farm by the gangs as they harvested immature avocados.
” This is a big loss to the farmers, and we seek police protection to safeguard our investments,” said Kariuki. Former Gatanga MP Dr Humprey Kimani Njuguna said theft of the avocado was a threat in the villages, which he condemned.
Murang’a leadership, he said, should deal with the theft of the produce as it is the leading producer in the country, and sixth in the world. ” All players need to join hands to stamp out the irregularities being experienced,” said Njuguna, the chairman at Moi University Council.