GOVERNOR MUTULA FLAGS OFF COFFEE SEEDLINGS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO FARMERS IN MAKUENI COUNTY.

Makueni County has released 8,000 coffee seedlings to be distributed to farmers for planting this rainy season. Another 16,000 seedlings will be released to farmers from next week.

Flagging off the consignment to be distributed to co-operative societies in Kikima, Mbooni Sub -County, Kithangathini in Kaiti, Masokani and Kithumani in Makueni Sub County, Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr. urged more farmers to consider planting coffee as prices world were going up. Makueni is one of the 33 counties that produce coffee.

He said the County planned to support farmers by training them on all aspects of coffee production including milling to increase its coffee production by 2.5 metric tonnes in the next two years.

Governor Kilonzo also directed the Department of Agriculture to establish demonstration farms in areas where there are coffee factories to train farmers on modern ways of farming. Currently, there are 20,000 registered coffee farmers in the county.

He said the County was working closely with the National Cereals and Produce Board to ensure that coffee farmers are provided with subsidized fertilizer.

The event held at the County headquarters was attended by Deputy Governor, Lucy Mulili and Agriculture ECM, Joyce Mutua among others.