Nairobi coffee auction fetch Sh1 billion

Farmers sort out coffee berries. [File, Standard]

The Nairobi Coffee Auction (NCE) fetched Sh1 billion from the sale of 14,726 bags, up from last week's Sh847 million.

Reports from the NCE indicate that 10 coffee brokers participated in the market, where they delivered 1,112 bags of grade AA and 5,297 bags of AB.

The report further detailed that the factories' coffee was brokered by Alliance Berries Limited, KCCE, Kirinyaga Slopes, and New KPCU, which achieved the best prices.

The Utooni factory, affiliated with the New Mitamboni FCS in Machakos, and the Regeju factory achieved the highest prices  of Sh69,145 and Sh68,369 for their grade AA, brokered by the New KPCU and the Alliance Berries Limited, respectively.

“Mathioya-based Kangunu factory made history after it achieved the best of Sh 67,852 for each of the 11 grade AA bags that were offered at the market by Alliance Berries, and Mukengeria factory achieved Sh 67,981,” added the report.

The Nyeri-based Ruarai coffee factory managed Sh68,178.

“In the brokers category, Alliance Berries achieved Sh350.6 million after the auction of 5,032 bags, followed by New KPCU at Sh211.3 million after the sale of 2,999 bags, CEBBA at Sh 50.4 million after the sale of 754 bags, and Kirinyaga Slopes at Sh91.8 million after the sale of 1,367 bags,” read part of the report.

Coffee farmers led by Peter Gikonyo said since the coffee year 2024/2025 started on October 1 last year, the Tuesday auction has registered impressive prices.

“The prices have been encouraging and have had an impacting urge on the growers to increase production of the commodity targeting the expanding market,” said Gikonyo.

He said Kangunu factory registered the impressive price for the first time.

Acting NCE CEO Symon Mburia in the report stated that 15 coffee dealers participated in the auction where Ibero Kenya bought 4,120 bags of coffee valued at Sh274.8 million, C-Dormans 3,750 bags for Sh271.2 million, Taylor Winch 2,463 bags for Sh1734.1 million, and Louis Dreyfus 1,805 bags for Sh1190.1 million, among others.

“Super Gibs and Bekas Systems were registered to have bought the least at 12 bags each at the auction,” read part of the dealers’ report.