Volumes of coffee sold at Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) auction on Tuesday earned farmers Sh1.1 billion.
Eleven brokers who participated in the auction presented 21,636 bags which was an increase as compared with 19, 017 bags that were sold during last week’s auction.
On average a bag of 50 kilos fetched Sh42, 135 in the sale where 17 local and international buyers participated.
In the auction Gicherori factory which is part of Kibugu Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Embu got the best price after selling through Alliance Berries ltd each of its 18 bags of grade AA at Sh55, 060.
Kahindu and Kiganjo coffee factories grade AA of coffee also brokered by Alliance Berries Limited achieved the highest price of Sh54, 935.50 per bag.
Other factories that achieved the highest prices for a bag of grade AA are Marumi Sh54,030, Kiamambara Sh53,772 in Kigumo and Mathira respectively.
Kiandieri factory achieved Sh53,125 and Nakoyonjo Sh51,962 for each bag of their grade AA coffee brokered by Kirinyaga Slopes and New KPCU respectively.
In the category of brokers, Alliance Berries Ltd led by selling 7,175 bags of coffee at Sh386.7 million, followed by Kiringaga Slopes Company which sold 3,879 bags at Sh215.6 million and Kipkelion Broker Company traded 2, 578 bags earning Sh125.8 million.
New KPCU sold 2, 015 bags at Sh103.2 million and Minnesota Marketers traded 2, 037 bags netting Sh99.9 Million.
During the auction, premium coffee of grades AA and AB accounted for 15, 372 bags representing 71 percent of the total volume traded.
In the category of dealers, Ibero purchased the highest volume of 8, 725 bags at Sh432.5 million, followed by C.Dorman Ltd which bought 3, 880 bags at Sh. 230.4 million and Taylor Winch Coffee Ltd got 2, 615 bags at Sh139.9 million.
Kenyacof Ltd purchased 2,321 bags at Sh126.4 million and Sasini Kenya Ltd bought 1,979 bags at Sh104 million.
Various stakeholders in the coffee sector have been challenging cooperative societies to focus on the quality of the coffee they produce.
Following some subsidies, the farmers receive from the government, coffee production is expected to go up in the near future.
NCE Chief Executive Officer Lisper Ndung’u urged farmers to continue trading their coffee through the weekly auction saying prices have improved.
She said international buyers are after coffee of high quality asking management of various cooperative societies to offer extension services that will see farmers produce coffee of premium qualities.
By Bernard Munyao
