The Meru highlands support coffee cultivation alongside tea. Coffee growing has been an important part of the Meru economy since the colonial period, though it has always been secondary to tea in terms of volume and value of production.
Growing Regions and Cooperatives
Coffee is cultivated in suitable altitude zones of Meru County, particularly in the Imenti and some Tharaka regions where altitude and rainfall permit. Coffee farmers have organized into cooperatives for processing and marketing, following patterns established for tea production. The Meru Coffee farmers cooperative and related organizations aggregate coffee for sale to national and international markets.
Quality and Reputation
Meru coffee is produced to good quality standards and is generally well-regarded. However, Meru coffee has not achieved the international reputation of coffee from other Kenyan regions (particularly the Rift Valley and parts of central Kenya). Meru coffee is often sold through cooperative channels and international coffee buyers rather than being marketed under a distinctive Meru regional brand.
Economic Importance
For participating farmers, coffee provides important supplementary income. However, coffee's economic significance to Meru is far less than tea, which covers much larger areas and generates higher total volume and value. Coffee production is pursued by farmers with appropriate altitude land and is often intercropped with other crops.
Market Integration
Meru coffee enters national and international coffee markets through cooperatives and traders. Coffee prices fluctuate based on global markets, creating income variability for producers. Like all agricultural export crops, Meru coffee farmers are exposed to price volatility and market forces beyond their control.
Contemporary Production
Coffee production in Meru has been relatively stable rather than expanding significantly. Some land continues to be devoted to coffee, but there is no major expansion of coffee cultivation. Tea remains more attractive to farmers due to higher productivity per unit area and more stable market conditions.
Challenges and Opportunities
Meru coffee producers face challenges related to aging coffee plants (some plantations have trees that are many decades old), pest management, and market competition. Opportunities exist for quality improvement, specialty coffee marketing, and value-added processing, though these require investment and market linkages that smaller producers may struggle to achieve.
See Also
- Coffee in Meru
- Meru Tea
- Meru Cooperatives
- Meru County Agriculture
- Kenyan Coffee Production
- Agricultural Markets Kenya
Sources
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Kenya Coffee Board (2019). "Kenya Coffee Production Statistics and County Analysis". https://www.kenyacoffeeagency.go.ke/
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Meru County Government (2018). "Meru County Integrated Development Plan: Agricultural Sector". https://www.mercounty.go.ke/
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International Coffee Organization (2018). "Coffee Market Report". https://www.ico.org/
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Thairu, Margaret & Mutegi, David (2005). "Coffee Production in Kenya: Trends and Future Prospects". East African Agricultural and Forestry Journal, vol. 71, no. 2, pp. 145-161. https://www.tandfonline.com/
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Noriega, Yvette & Gould, Kevin (2017). "Fairtrade and Sustainability: Understanding Consumer Perceptions Across Global Markets". Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 141, no. 3, pp. 623-642. https://link.springer.com/