On Tuesday, farmers sold coffee worth Sh382 million at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, despite ongoing protests in several counties regarding low returns.
In the sale of 9,732 bags, 2,593 bags of premium grade AA coffee brought in Sh110 million, while 3,950 bags of AB coffee earned Sh157 million. Additionally, 1,143 bags of grade C coffee sold for Sh13 million, 11 bags of grade E fetched Sh260,838, and lower grades T and TT accounted for 368 bags worth Sh5.5 million and 264 bags worth Sh732,978, respectively.
Ibero Kenya Ltd purchased the most coffee, acquiring 2,528 bags totaling 157,307 kg, followed by Louis Dreyfus Company with 2,297 bags and C Dorman Ltd with 1,405 bags. KenyaCof also procured 1,217 bags.
The leading sellers included Alliance Berries with 2,637 bags, Kirinyaga Slopes Brokerage with 1,937 bags, KCCE Marketing Agency with 412 bags, Kiambu Coffee Marketing with 394 bags, and Kinya Coffee Marketing with 278 bags.
This sale comes on the heels of protests from farmers of the Kangunu Coffee Cooperative Society in Mathioya, Murang’a County, who expressed their dissatisfaction with the cooperative’s management. They opposed a five percent deduction from their earnings that the leadership claimed was a contribution to the Kangunu Coffee Farmers Sacco, which the farmers stated they had not approved.
In Murang’a East subcounty, members of the New Gaturi Coffee Cooperative Society disrupted operations, demanding a resolution to mismanagement issues before allowing business to resume. They called for new elections and greater transparency in leadership, expressing frustration at local leaders’ inaction.
“We’ve been waiting for local leadership to help convene a meeting to discuss our grievances, but nothing has happened,” said farmer Mwangi Kimwere. Another farmer, Lydia Warurguru, added that they would refrain from harvesting their coffee rather than endure the current leadership.
In Nyeri County, Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya dissolved the management of Barichu Farmers Cooperative Society due to poor leadership and numerous complaints of embezzlement. He called for new elections and instructed Commissioner for Cooperatives David Obonyo to investigate the society’s mismanagement.
