Certified coffee earns better prices in the market

The Mountain Journal

editor@themountainjournal.co.ke

Certified coffee earned a premium price in the weekly auction, compared to the ordinary produce at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE).

In the market analysis, NCE report indicates that the 10 factories that achieved the lucrative prices of their coffee are certified by RainForest Alliance, CAFE, Faretrade, and EUDR.

The certified coffee out of the  40,918 bags sourced from the estates and cooperative societies accounted  for 9.83 percent, where Kiambu based Kiairia factory, 29 bags of grade AA marketed by Alliance Berries Limited  each sold at Sh 63,210. 

The NCE reports indicate that the majority of the certified coffee was offered by Alliance Berries Limited and Kirinyaga Slopes.

Coffee Value Chain Expert Henry Kinyua said that the certified coffee earned a total of Sh 291.9 million while the consignment in the auction fetched Sh 2.4 billion paid by the 18 local and international buyers.

He explains that Kenya’s premium coffee has continued to command the market, thus attracting more buyers from around the globe.

“Factories that offered certified coffee were Thiriku Factory( Nyeri) 60 bags each at Sh 62,927, Nyanja Factory 63 bags (Kirinyaga) each at Sh 62,669, Kimatu Factory, ( Kirinyaga) 100 bags at Sh61, 767among others,” said Mr Kinyua.

The NCE reported that Alliance Berries Limited offered the highest volume of 14,651  bags that fetched 917.3 million, New KPCU 6,107 bags ( Sh 359 million), Kirinyaga Slopes 5,461 bags( Sh356 million) Kipkelion 4,454 bags( Sh253.9 million) among others. 

 The coffee brokers offered 13,035 bags of grade AA, 18,905 bags of  AB and 3,575 bags of grade C..

NCE CEO Lisper Ndung’u said the increased offers at the auction followed the intensive campaign  encouraging the farmers to take advantage of the prevailing better prices in the market.

“We appreciate the efforts made by the brokers in mobilising coffee into the auction, a move that has enabled farmers to earn impressive prices,” said Ms Ndung’u.

In the dealers category, Kenyacof bought 10,510 bags, Taylor Winch 6,984 bags, Ibero Kenya 6,810 bags, C.Dormans 6,099 bags, Sasini 3,618  bags among others.