He said it was inconceivable that brokers were making up to 200 per cent from the sale of potatoes and other horticultural products, leaving farmers exploited and poor.
“From now hence, you should stand firm and make proper consultations among yourselves before determining the price of your products. Don’t allow the brokers to determine the price for your crop,” he told farmers during a public gathering at Heni playgrounds.
The Governor spoke after he commissioned a Sh3.8 million milk cooling plant his administration donated to members of Karati Farmers’ Society.
The Governor was accompanied by County Ministers Hon. Judy Nyambura Mwangi (Co-operatives), Hon. George Kimani (Attorney and ICT), Hon. Peter Mwangi Gathimba (Tourism and Sports), as well Members of the County Assembly Hon. Githinji Ngumba (Magumu) and Hon. Peter Njoroge Kariru (Githabai).
The Governor advised farmers to join the co-operative movement to enable them market their produce directly to consumers and manufacturers instead of selling such products through the middlemen.
He commended the co-operative movement saying it was the answer to farmers’ woes, noting that some societies had started to sell farmers’ produce directly to manufacturers.
He said Nyandarua had a total of 126 co-operative societies, 26 of which were registered during the past year alone while 13 others were revived by his administration.
The Governor expressed satisfaction that Karati Farmers’ Society earned over Sh80 million from milk sales alone last year and was currently producing milk worth Sh8 million on monthly basis.
He said the society had registered a savings and credit society (sacco) for members and a total number of 457 had so far deposited savings to the tune of Sh4.6 million.
H.E. Waithaka said farmers in Nyandarua County have ventured into the sacco movement which accounted for Sh3.9 billion in savings. He said members had taken loans to the tune of Sh3.2 billion.
The governor said his administration had continued to assist the movement, noting that the department of co-operatives had donated another milk cooling plant to Umoja Nyahururu Farmers Society with a capacity of 3,000 litres.
His administration had also injected direct capital to other societies such as Zimamwa, Geta , New Visionary bodaboda housing co-operative, Bodabioda Njabini society, Turasha Farmers’ society and Gikara Farmers’ society.
While referring to the proposed Sh13 billion-Kinangop Wind-Mill Project, the Governor announced he will convene a stakeholders meeting to discuss contentious issues.
“We have to solve problems affecting us by sitting down together. My administration will call such a meeting so that all contentious issues will be resolved, “ the Governor said
