Coffee market resumes after Christmas break

The Mountain Journal 

 editor@themountainjournal.co.kei

Coffee auction resumed after a break, with 12 local and international dealers buying 18,138 bags of coffee for Sh957,358,702.

The earnings at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) registered a decline compared to Sh1.1 billion netted on  December 17, after the sale of 21,636 bags.

In the NCE report,  Baragwi cooperative society’s Kianjiru and Karumandi factories in Kirinyaga achieved the highest price of Sh 52,836 per bag and Sh52,706 respectively brokered by Alliance Berries Limited.

 Murang’a based Thika Giki society achieved Sh 49,598 for each of 17 bags of grade AA.

In the presentation of the coffee at the market, the report outlined that Alliance Berries Limited led the pack with 9,9177 bags that were sold for  Sh496,916,503, followed by Kirinyaga Slopes 2,668 bags for  Sh138,194,101. 

NCE CEO Lisper Ndung’u said in the auction market eight coffee brokers delivered grade AA 8,096 bags and AB 6,499  bags of coffee, adding that coffee  brokered by Alliance Berries, Kirinyaga Slopes, and New KPCU fetched impressive prices.

She said the demand  for quality was high thus the need for the growers to produce the same in large quantities.

“We have lodged an appeal to the farmers across the counties to increase production of the commodity to take advantage of the better prices in the market,” said Ms Ndung’u.

In the market analysis, grade AA fetched Sh453,286,881 while AB Sh338,516,651.

Cooperative Principal Secretary Patrick Kilemi said there was a need for cooperation between the coffee players to educate the growers on production of quality coffee.

“ The impressive prices in the market were last experienced 15 years ago, thus the need for the growers to take advantage,” said Mr Kilemi.

In the buyers category the  reports state that the C- Dorman bought 5,309 bags,Taylor Winch 4,548 bags, Ibero Kenya 3,264 bags, Kenyacof 2,293 bags, Louis Dreyfus 772 bags among others.

 Other brokers, KCCE 2,221 bags, fetched Sh121,608,904, United Eastern 253 bags, for 10,834,332, Mt Elgon 162 bags for Sh8,074,617, Minnesota 411 bags for Sh18,714,824.