Nairobi:Coffee sales at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) have surged to Sh1.02 billion, following the trading of 21,636 bags. This marks a significant increase in both earnings and volumes, as the market continues to draw buyers in search of quality beans.
According to Kenya News Agency, the recent auction showed an improvement over the previous week’s earnings of Sh879.68 million, with 17,442 bags sold. This reflects stronger trading activity in the coffee market.
Industry stakeholders are encouraging farmers to increase production and enhance the quality of their beans to capitalize on competitive prices at the auction. The fourth auction of the current coffee year saw participation from 14 coffee brokers, presenting various grades of coffee, including 4,360 bags of grade AA, 9,300 bags of grade AB, and 2,747 bags of grade C, among others.
Alliance Berries Limited was among the leading brokers, marketing 5,691 bags, followed by New KPCU with 4,962 bags. Other notable performances included CEBBA with 1,388 bags and Kirinyaga Slopes with 1,220 bags. The efforts of these brokers underscore their crucial role in connecting farmers with both international and domestic markets.
The Gakuyu-ini factory recorded one of the highest prices in the grade AA category, selling 98 bags at Sh50,664.90 per bag, equivalent to 390 US dollars. The Ndundu factory followed, selling 127 bags of grade AA at Sh48,066.70 per bag, or 370 dollars.
In the grade AB category, Kapsaos Toretmoi Society sold 100 bags at Sh46,247.96 per bag, while Gatagua Agromarketing Society marketed 105 bags at Sh43,000.21 per bag. These prices highlight the importance of quality improvement and effective farm management in securing better returns for farmers.
Among buyers, Ibero Kenya purchased the largest volume at 4,817 bags, followed by Kenyacof with 3,340 bags. C. Dorman, Louis Dreyfus, Sasini, Global Mark, and Taylor Winch also made significant purchases.
NCE Chief Executive Officer Lisper Ndung’u emphasized the auction’s role in providing growers with opportunities to secure competitive prices, with interest in quality coffee growing. Coffee Board of Kenya Chairman Henry Kinyua urged farmers to boost production and expand their holdings, supporting increased output to optimize returns.
The latest auction results underscore the need for a combination of increased production and quality improvement to strengthen farmers’ earnings and sustain demand for Kenyan coffee.
