More than 630,000 bags of coffee traded in the year

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Kenya has managed to auction 637,444 bags of coffee in the last 10 months, making up to Sh38.3 billion.

A coffee sale report by the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) shows that in the period, running from October 1, three brokers including Alliance Berries Limited, NKPCU and Kirinyaga Slope brought 62 per cent of the coffee, as grades AA and AB fetched the best prices in the market.

The report shows that Alliance auctioned 198,509 bags, New KPCU brought to the auction 100,083 bags, while Kirinyaga Slopes, KCCE and Kipkelion brought 95,169,  51,464 and 51,428 bags respectively.

Alliance Berries CEO Peter Githinji pegged the good performance on the farmers who have been keen to produce quality coffee that attracts good prices in the market.

“Some buyers do visit the farmers in their shambas and hold interactive talks and later meet the cooperative management committees as they want to get the best for their customers abroad,” said Githinji, also a farmer in Mathira, Nyeri County.

John Chege, a leading agronomist, said grade AA and AB continued to rank high due to its high quality and full uniformity, and also have the best cupping.

Farmers who follow the recommendations, he said, smile all the way to the banks owing to increased returns.

“The farmers are encouraged to follow the guidelines to increase quantity and quality,” said Chege at Wanjengi coffee factory during a farmers' information day.