Coffee berry theft - Last week, the Coffee Board of Kenya said three key players in the industry were being investigated for the theft of coffee. This is a positive development in what has become a big threat to farmers.
But a lot more need to be done to protect farmers. According to the board, 1,216 bags of the beans were stolen between July and December 2010.

This figure is bound to go up this year given the increase in international coffee prices and the fact that the problem has spread to Rift Valley and Western provinces from Central Province where it was previously concentrated.

The fact that the Coffee Board has admitted this is not the usual petty theft but rather a well co-ordinated cartel that includes private millers, coffee dealers and in some cases factory officials, means that the practise now involves organized crime and must be treated as such.

That the cartel knows to target only factories known to produce premium coffee adds to the reasons why the government must act now.

Daily Nation/21/11/2011