Tea and coffee markets net Sh 1.4billion 

The tea and coffee markets fetched Sh 1,440,002,581.66 in the weekly auctions, reflecting lower payments compared to the Sh 1.7 billion of the previous week.

The tea factories under the KTDA management through the Mombasa Tea Auction sold  2,308,232 kgs, while in the coffee sub-sector the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) brokers marketed 12,102 bags at the close of the trading period.

In the tea sector, Sh 795,024,347.76 was paid by the buyers, with the factories that achieved the best prices listed as Mununga Sh 450 per kg, Rukuriri Sh 434 per kg, Githongo Sh 425 per kg, Gacharage Sh 423 per kg, among others,

 KTDA Chairman Enos Njeru said the tea industry in Kenya is set to grow, with farmers centred on supplying quality green leaf for processing.

Njeru said the arrival of the first consignment of the fertiliser at the Mombasa Port will facilitate increased production and maintain quality once applied in the tea bushes.

“ We are positioning Kenya's tea in the global arena through a spirited marketing strategy,” said Mr Njeru.

At the auction, EATTA Managing Director George Omuga said 6,451,971 kgs of made tea were offered in the auction, where Kenya sold 4,529,302 kgs from the KTDA factories and the independent producers.

“ In the auction, Uganda offered  924,770 kgs, Rwanda 384,847 kgs, and Burundi 18,180 kgs,” he said.

In the coffee sector, Sh 644,978,233.90 was realised, where the farmers sold 734 bags of grade  AA, 4,540 bags of grade  AB and 3,572 bags of grade C

In the coffee brokers category, New KPCU managed to market 4,006 bags, followed by Alliance Berries Limited with 2,329 bags, Kirinyaga Slopes with 2,023 bags, among others 

The NCE report indicated that in the market, 18 buyers participated, where Ibero Kenya led with the purchase of 2,953 bags, C.Dormans 2,424 bags, Kenyacof 2,404 bags, Taylor Winch 1,216 bags, among others.

NCE CEO Lisper Ndung’u said in the auction, Rainforest Alliance and EUDR offered 62 percent of the certified coffee that attracted better payment.