The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Chaired by Embu Senator Njeru Ndwiga, conducted a site visit to Kentaste Products Limited in Kwale County.
As part of enriching the Coconut Industry Development Bill 2021, the objective of the visit was to inspect the coconut processing plant, discuss the achievements, challenges and future development plans for the company.
The Committee was welcomed by the Management of Kentaste Company and discussions highlighted were as follows:
– That when the company was registered in 2008 it started off with 500 farmers and has since grown to 3200 farmers.
– The current revenue at Kentaste Company is $1-1.5Mn per year.
– The company purchases 1Mn coconuts per month from farmers and processes 40,000 nuts per day as compared to last year of processing 10,000 nuts per day.
– The company has supported small hold farmers in achieving Fair Trade and Organic certification in local and international markets.
– Kwale alone has 20,000 small scale farmers, however, there is a need for more collection centres to serve more farmers in the coastal region.
– The company has a waste management system that is working on recycling procedures that are Eco friendly.
– The company is recently ISO and Halal certified.- The company focuses on employing personnel both in Kwale and Kilifi counties, with special focus in tapping into the youth within the community.
– Kentaste also advised that they have a vibrant CSR progam where they support schools in the community.
– The company is working on commencing a Research and Development unit.
Despite Kentaste being a growing company, some challenges encountered were:
1. Lack of capacity building for farmers,
2. Provision of quality seedlings for farmers and
3. Immediate cash payment to farmers.
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Whereas some challenges experienced by the Farmers were
1) Delayed payments and
2. Unavailable advance payments.
Other Senators present at the site visit were Vice Chair Sen. Enoch Wambua, Sen. Justice Stewart Madzayo and Sen. Juma Issa Boy.
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