A section of macadamia farmers in Embu County have protested the push by some processors to reintroduce a ban on exportation of raw and unprocessed macadamia.
This comes after the processors during a meeting in Nairobi on Monday called on the Government to curb exportation of unprocessed macadamia to protect their business. The Government in November last year through then Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi temporarily suspended Section 43 of Agricultural and Food Authority Act banning exportation of raw macadamia for one year up to November 2nd this year.
This was after a huge outcry from farmers who suffered massive losses after the ban forced them to sell the nuts to local processors for as low as Sh. 10 per kilo for lack of an alternative market. However, the farmers have read malice in the push by the processors, saying it was for their own selfish gain so that they can continue oppressing farmers by buying their nuts at a throwaway price.
Led by National Vice Chair National Nuts Traders Association of Kenya (NUTAK) Njeru Kathangu, the farmers argued that the move will give unfair advantage to the processors who collude to buy nuts from farmers at meager prices and then make a kill after processing.
“The move will take us to the years of bondage in the hands of processors who prey on poor farmers by colluding to set the buying prices,” he said. He said the sector should be allowed to operate as a free market where forces of demand and supply determine the prices and not a few individuals.
Farmer Kinyua Karagori from Runyenjes Constituency accused elected leaders in the county of neglecting them by not voicing their concerns to the relevant authorities. They called on MPs to remove the Act to liberalize the market and protect farmers from exploitation.
The farmers threatened to hold protests should the government heed to the call by the processors to impose the ban.