Higher prices lure Rift Valley farmers to coffee

Coffee farming is taking root in some parts of the Rift Valley province, offering hope of higher output at a time when traditional growing areas in Central Kenya are being encroached on by real-estate developers. The farmers in areas like Mt Elgon, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia and Bomet are shifting to coffee farming in pursuit of higher prices in international markets.

The interest has seen a new coffee mill—CMS Limited— opened in Eldoret while another is planned for Kericho. Land under coffee has reduced over the years, paving the way for real-estate developments. About 5,376 acres of coffee farms in Kiambu have been destroyed in the past one year alone for construction of major housing projects like Tatu City that will take up 3,000 acres, Thika Greens (1,600 acres) and Four Ways (776 acres). Other smaller real-estate projects are also expected to come up. read on: http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Higher+prices++lure+Rift+Valley++farmers+to+coffee+/-/539550/1256562/-/q0tote/-/index.html