By Morris Githenya in Wakulima House, Nairobi
Kenya’s coffee fetched Sh1,077,463,509 at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE), reflecting a decrease from the last week’s sale that gained Sh1.3 billion. In the auction, the marketing agents presented 26,850 bags, where 20 buyers took 26,813 bags for their local and international markets.
Karumandi Farmers’ Cooperative fetched the best price of Sh50,180 ($386) per 50 kilogrammes of bag for their AA grades. The factory through the Alliance Berries Limited sold 107 bags to Ibero Kenya for Sh6,618,742.
Last week Guama Factory in Kirinyaga through the Alliance Berries Limited got the best payment for their AA at sh65,500 ($500) per bag. Others that got the best price were Kiunyu presented by Kirinyaga slopes that each of the 55 bags of AA fetched Sh46,410($371), while Thangani and Nduma factories under NKPCU sold their 112 bags of AA quality at each Sh48,230.
NCE Acting CEO Ms Lisper Ndung’u said in the auction the Alliance Berries Limited took 10,292 bags of coffee that were bought at Sh437,465,743, followed by the Kirinyaga Slopes with 6,048 bags that the buyers bought at Sh234,054,236.
New Kenya Planters Cooperative Union (NKPCU), she said, earned farmers Sh191,612,837 for the sale of 4,737 bags of coffee traded at the auction.
“The three leading marketing agents delivered 5,979 bags of AA in the auction market, out of the 6,901 bags that were collected from the farmers by the listed nine agents,” said the CEO.
She added that the auction attracted 16 coffee buyers, compared with the previous where 20 participated,” said the CEO.
In the dealers, Kenyacoff bought 5,262 bags at Sh207,512,825, Ibero Kenya 5,218 bags for Sh201,366,352.2, Sasini presented 3,907 bags that were traded at Sh 174,446,682.8.
Other dealers were C Dorman with 3,639 bags for Sh168,469,815.8 and Louis Dreyfus Company who purchased 3,716 bags paying for Sh130,167,858.6.
Kigumo MP Joseph Munyoro said it was encouraging that in the sale 26,850 bags of coffee was sourced from 1,093 farmers cooperatives and estates in 23 counties.
” As a member of the Coffee Tea Parliamentary Association (Cotepa) I encourage farmers to nurture their coffee trees as the market was interested in the high quality,” said Munyoro.
Kenya Coffee Producers Association Chairman Peter Gikonyo says the production quality grades attracting the market was high. “In the market, the majority of the bags presented for sale were in ther category of AA, AB and C that fetched impressive prices,” said Gikonyo.