Farmers lose as foreigners tighten grip on coffee trade

Coffee farmers taken through a lesson on how to boost coffee production during the Agricultural Farmers Field Day at Wambugu Farm in Nyeri, on July 28,2017. [Photo:Kibata Kihu/Standard]

Six giant European companies control the multi-billion shilling coffee business in Kenya, raising concerns about possible price manipulation.

With coffee prices at the auction only a fraction of the market prices - which hurts farmers - the Government has recommended the formation of a coffee pricing committee.