Kenya Kithungururu Factory AB washed

Kenya Kithungururu Factory AB washed

Kithungururu Coffee Factory is located in Embu County, Kenya, and is part of the Kithungururu Farmers’ Cooperative Society, which also manages the Ndunda factory. The facility serves local smallholder farmers who grow SL 28, SL 34, and Ruiru 11 varieties and deliver their coffee cherries to the wet mill during harvest season. The factory is managed by an operations manager responsible for day-to-day work, including weighing coffee deliveries, overseeing sorting and quality checks, coordinating payments to farmers, and responding to their needs and feedback. Agronomic support is provided through farmer training, farm visits, and technical advice, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture. Farmers are encouraged to follow recommended farming practices, such as pruning, weeding, fertilizing, mulching, and protecting crops from disease. Compliance with these guidelines is monitored by a field committee that regularly visits cooperative members’ farms. Kithungururu Cooperative promotes sustainable farming practices among its members. Soak pits (settling ponds) have been built on the factory grounds, away from water sources, allowing water used in processing to seep back into the soil. In addition, as part of its environmental initiatives, the cooperative encourages farmers to plant trees. Kithungururu Factory is located at an altitude of approximately 1,600 meters above sea level, on red volcanic soils. The region has temperatures ranging from 13–24°C and annual rainfall of around 1,300 mm. Coffee trees typically flower from March to April and from September to October, while harvests take place from May to June and from November to December. Coffee cherries are delivered directly to the factory or to collection points, where farmers remove unripe, overripe, or diseased cherries. Once delivered to the factory, the cherries are hand-sorted again and then processed using traditional disc pulpers. During this process, the beans in parchment are sorted by density; the densest are classified as P1 and sent to fermentation tanks. The coffee undergoes dry fermentation in concrete tanks for approximately 16–24 hours. For some lots, additional washing takes place during fermentation to help remove the pulp (mucilage). After fermentation, the parchment-covered beans are washed in grading channels, where they are sorted by density again. The denser beans are then soaked in clean water for 16–24 hours. After soaking, the coffee is pre-dried on jute mats and then transferred to raised drying tables. Drying takes place on jute cloths or shade nets and usually lasts 12–21 days, depending on weather conditions. During drying, the coffee is covered during the hottest part of the day and at night to protect its quality and ensure even moisture reduction.