The Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) has continued to witness reduced volumes of coffee in the past two weeks, with 7,147 bags traded on Tuesday, netting Sh447 million.
In the auction conducted at Wakulima house, Nairobi, the average price per bag of 50 kilograms was Sh50,388, equivalent to Sh155 per kilogram of cherry gross.
According to the NCE report on Sale 5 of the current coffee season, the highest price recorded was Sh 60,078 per 50-kilogram bag.
This premium was paid for three lots of AA-grade coffee: 18 bags from Kiriangoro Factory, which is part of the Thangaini Farmers’ Cooperative Society (FCS) in Murang’a; 19 bags from Kagwanja Factory under Komothai FCS in Kiambu County; and 28 bags from Ndaro-ini in Nyeri County.
Among the coffee brokers who participated in the auction, Kipkelion Broker Company Ltd led the market, trading 1,090 bags (67,864 kg) at an average price of Sh53,876 per bag.
They were followed by Alliance Berries Limited with 1,025 bags (63,331 kg) at an average price of Sh53,101 and Coffee Estates Bourgeoisie Brokers Limited with 977 bags at an average price of Sh44,445.
Other notable brokers included New Kenya Planters Co-operative Union PLC, which traded 1,396 bags (87,706 kg) at an average price of Sh47,287 per bag; United Eastern Kenya Coffee Marketing Co. Ltd with 733 bags (44,696 kg) at Sh51,938 per bag; and KCCE Marketing Agency Limited, which traded 635 bags (39,956 kg) at 51,930 per bag.
In the category of buyers, five top dealers dominated the market, with Kenyacof Limited purchasing 1,760 bags (109,767 kg) valued at Sh116.2 million.
Louis Dreyfus Company followed, purchasing 1,483 bags (92,726 kg) worth Sh91.3 million; Ibero Kenya Ltd bought 1,462 bags (90,718 kg) for Sh84.5 million.
Others, including Taylor Winch (Coffee) Limited, secured 846 bags (51,761 kg) valued at Sh55.3 million, while C.Dormans SEZ Ltd acquired 410 bags (25,195 kg) for USD 28.7 million.
Collectively, these five dealers accounted for approximately 68 percent of the total market volume and 80 percent of the overall market value.
By Bernard Munyao
