- Tea and coffee auctions earned farmers Ksh2 billion, up from Ksh1.816 billion.
- Tea sales earned Ksh890.4 million, while coffee fetched Ksh1.168 billion.
- Improved tea prices attracted strong buyer interest.
Two agriculture markets generated Ksh 2 billion at the weekly auctions that attracted local and international buyers, compared to Ksh 1.816 billion of the previous week, reflecting an increase in earnings.
In the tea and coffee auctions conducted in Mombasa and Nairobi respectively, the small stakeholders through their factories and cooperative societies smiled at their banks owing to the impressive market for their produce.
At the Mombasa Tea Auction, Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) managed factories fetched Ksh 890,354,622.78 after the sale of 2,594,727 kgs that traded at an average of Ksh 343.14 per kg of made tea, compared to Ksh 1.018 billion of the previous week.
KTDA Holding Chairman Enos Njeru said the performance at the auction was impressive based on the increased number of factories selling their tea above $3 per kg.
He said although the supply at the market has reduced as majority of the farmers have pruned their tea bushes awaiting the application of fertiliser, the prices are improving despite the cost implication caused by the tea levy.
“If the tea levy of Ksh 2.88 per kg can be suspended, the growers will reap better results in the year 2026/2027,” said Njeru.
East African Tea Trade Association (EATTA) Managing Director George Omuga reported that in the weekly auction 13 factories achieved above Ksh 387 ($3) per kgs, compared to the previous week where seven registered the impressive prices.
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In the report, Omuga outlined that Imenti, Mununga, Gathuthi, Kiegoi and Rukuriri factories achieved the best prices of Ksh 429.57, Ksh 421.83, Ksh 406.35 and Ksh 405.06 per kg of made tea respectively.
“Ngere, Njunu, Kathangariri, Kinoro, Kangaita are among those that performed better in the auction,” said Omuga.
In the analysis, Momul Tea Factory in the west of the rift, achieved the price of Ksh 340.56 per kg for a supply of 95,700 kgs.
The report indicated that 30 tea factories managed to sell all the stocks offered at the auction as 306,397 kgs were returned to the warehouses as unsold tea, compared to 329,079 kgs of the previous week.
In the auction, Kenya sold 5,133,292 kgs while Rwandese managed 434,826 kgs at the rate of Ksh 290.25 per kg and Ksh 380.55 per kg respectively.
In the coffee sector, trading at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE), farmers through their cooperatives and estates netted Ksh 1.168 billion following the auction of 21,223 bags of coffee that interested the buyers.
NCE reports stated that in the market 1,819 bags of AA grade were offered, grade AB 9,325 bags and 6,457 bags of grade C attracted 18 local and international buyers.
“In the brokers category, New KPCU sold 6,406 bags, Kirinyaga Slopes 4,371 bags, Alliance Berries 3,883 bags among other licences brokers,” read part of the report.
NCE CEO Lisper Ndung’u stated that in the weekly market 10 coffee brokers and dealers participated, an indication it was participatory by the stakeholders.
“Last week’s auction was impressive, hoping the farmers will continue trading before the coffee year 2025/2026 comes to an end on September 30,” said Ms Ndung’u.
By our correspondent
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