By Joshua Cheloti

Trade and Investment Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria is now asking processors buying macadamia from farmers to increase their prices.

Kuria says the processors have been buying the produce from farmers at Ksh20 per kilogram and yet sell to the international market at Ksh800.

He described the move as exploitation, and challenged them to increase the price to at least Ksh250 per kilogram.

“40 Macadamia processors are buying Macadamia at 20 Shillings per Kilo and selling at Ksh 800 in International markets. We don’t want Ksh 800. We will be ok with Ksh 250 per Kilo for our toiling farmers,” the CS tweeted on his verified handle, Tuesday.

The call for an increase in macadamia prices comes barely a day after Kuria lifted a ban on the exportation of raw macadamia for a year.

The move, the CS noted was meant to stabilize the prices of the produce.

A ban on export of raw macadamia was put in place by the government in what the Trade and Investiment CS said was to promote local processing and enhance industrialization.

The government hoped the move would create employment opportunities.

Macadamia farmers have been up in arms over the poor prices recently.

“If you pay someone Sh20 how will they take their child to school? How will they buy food?” CS Kuria noted.

He spoke during an event in Kirinyaga County.

Muranga, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Embu and Meru counties are known for producing the highest quantities of macadamia nuts in the country.

The crop was first introduced in the regions.

However, more farmers have embraced it over time, with Bungoma, Kakamega, Trans Nzoia, Machakos and Taita Taveta also having the crops grown.

Accoriding to Moses Kuria, by lifting a ban on exports, the produce will attract more buyers from across the country – hence automatically increase prices to benefit farmers.