Sale 6 at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) on Tuesday saw a total of 13,821 bags traded netting a revenue of Ksh886 million ($6.85 million). The coffee volume traded across 923 lots witnessed a notable 97 per cent jump from the 7,033 bags auctioned in Sale 5 last week.

In the auction conducted at Wakulima House in Nairobi, an average price stood at Ksh51,800 ($400.47) per 50-kilogramme bag, equivalent to Ksh159 per kilo of clean cherries.

The Kenyan currency – the shilling – exchanged at $1 = Ksh129.35

According to the NCE’s records, the highest price recorded was Ksh67,572 for each of 33 bags of Grade AA from the KII Factory, which is part of Rung’eto Farmers’ Cooperative Society (FCS) in Kirinyaga County.

Two other lots that included 67 bags of AA from the Karogoto Factory under Tekangu FCS in Nyeri County fetched Ksh66,667 per bag, and another lot of 35 bags from the Gakuyu-ini Factory under Thirikwa FCS in Kirinyaga County, fetching Ksh65,892 per bag.

In the category of brokers, Alliance Berries led by trading 3,436 bags fetching a total of Ksh232 million, followed by New KPCU PLC with 3,026 bags that fetched Ksh188 million, Kipkelion Broker Company sold 1,391 bags at Ksh90 million.

Kirinyaga Slopes traded 1,196 bags at an average price of Ksh48,967 per bag and United Eastern with 918 bags at an average price of 50,259.

Other participants included CEBBA (886 bags), Mt Elgon (609 bags), Minnesota Marketers (607 bags), KCCEMA (520 bags), Kinya Coffee (504 bags), Murang’a Union (513 bags), Kiambu Coffee Marketing Ltd (104 bags) and Bungoma (76 bags).

On the dealer’s side C. Dormans SEZ Ltd was the top purchaser with 3,319 bags translating to 26.2 per cent of the total volume valued at Ksh234.7 million.

It was followed by Kenyacof Ltd with 2,989 bags (21.7 per cent of total volume traded) at Ksh191 million, Louis Dreyfus Company bought 2,327 bags at Sh141n million, Ibero Kenya Ltd with 1,960 bags at Ksh126 million, and Taylor Winch Coffee Ltd purchased 1,360 bags at Sh88.5 million

The coffee purchased by the five companies accounted for approximately 89 per cent of the total market value. In the auction, over 70 per cent of the traded coffee comprised premium AA and AB with grade AA accounting for 36.36 per cent and grade AB 35.31 per cent.

These were followed by C grade 8.98 percent, PB 5.71 per cent and other grades including TT, T, E, and unwashed coffees such as MH, ML, NH and NL which made up the remaining 14 per cent.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Bernard Munyao