Established in 1997, Kiri spans 5 acres of land, serving Gitumbi, Kirunyuini, Kerere, and Kaboia Villages. Currently affiliated with Ngiriambu Farmers Co-operative Society Ltd, it houses the society’s head office.
LOCATION
Kiri Coffee Factory is situated in Central Province, Kirinyaga County, in Njukiini location of Gichugu Division near Kianyaga town. Its membership stands at 1400, with 1200 active farmers and 200 inactive farmers.
SOILS AND CLIMATE
The factory lies at an altitude of about 1,450m above sea level in a region with red soil. The area experiences moderate bimodal rainfall of about 1200mm per annum, with temperatures ranging between 13-25 degrees Celsius. The long rains fall between March-May, while the short rains come between October and December.
PRODUCTION
The area follows a biennial production cycle, with the early harvest from April-June and the late second season from October-December. The main coffee varieties grown are SL28, 34, and Ruiru 11, with SL28 and 34 accounting for 99% of all coffee produced, while Ruiru 11 accounts for 1% of total production.
PROCESSING
Fermentation:
After pulping, the coffee undergoes overnight fermentation to break down the sugars. It then travels through channels to the soaking tank, where it is carefully cleaned, soaked, and spread out on raised drying tables.
Drying process:
The time on the drying tables depends on climate, ambient temperature, and total production volume undergoing processing. Drying can take from 7 to 15 days in total. Continuous sorting and hand-turning of the parchment occur throughout the drying process.
SUSTAINABLE FARMING
In alignment with the growing awareness of the need to conserve the environment, the factory has placed waste water soak pits away from the water source. Here, waste water is allowed to soak back into the soil. Currently, the factory does not engage in waste water treatment. Additionally, the society encourages its members to plant trees on their farms.
MANAGEMENT
Kiri Coffee Factory is overseen by a factory manager who manages all activities within the factory. Together with other staff members, they perform duties such as weighing coffee, selecting and grading coffee, paying farmers, and addressing farmers’ complaints.
AGRONOMY
The factory’s affiliate members carry out all agronomic activities associated with coffee production. They source coffee from the Coffee Research Station and plant it according to stipulated guidelines. Fieldwork involves weeding, pruning, spraying, and applying fertilizer, mulching, and providing technical advice. Technical advice is offered through farmer training programs and field visits/days provided by the Ministry of Agriculture. Compliance with agreed guidelines is checked and supervised by the field committee, which conducts farm visits. They ensure that coffee is not intergrown with other crops such as maize and beans, although they do allow intercropping with Macadamia.
