The value of unroasted coffee shipped out of Kenya by exporters almost doubled to Sh35.4 billion during the first six months of this year, compared to Sh19.3 billion realised during a similar period in 2024 spelling a boon for farmers in the coming months amid ongoing reforms in the sub-sector.
Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that this year’s spike bucked a sustained falling trend observed since the period between July and December 2023, when the value rose to Sh23.1 billion, up from Sh21.3 billion during the preceding half.
Kenyan coffee, which is much sought-after by roasters and blenders worldwide, is marketed either through the weekly Nairobi Coffee Exchange or sold directly to buyers in export markets.
During the first half of this year, the volume of exported coffee jumped 44.1 percent to 36,956.6 tonnes, up from the 25,645.1 tonnes exported in a similar period last year, signalling enhanced production on the back of improved earnings for farmers.
KNBS says the rise in volumes and value of exported coffee was the main driver of a 12.8 percent increase in the overall revenue fetched by Kenya from domestic exports during the period.
The data agency further attributed an improvement of shipments to the Americas, which grew 4.5 percent in value to Sh22.6 billion, to enhanced domestic exports of coffee to Canada.
“(During the quarter), revenue from domestic exports grew 12.8 percent compared to the same quarter of 2024. The growth was largely on account of an increase in exports of coffee, horticultural products, articles of apparel, and animal and vegetable oils,” wrote KNBS.
“Shipments to the Americas improved by 4.5 percent to Sh22.6 billion, partly driven by increased domestic exports of coffee to Canada.”
Earlier in June this year, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) had projected a 13.3 percent growth in Kenya’s coffee production to 850,000 bags in the marketing period that started this October, up from 750,000 bags in the just-ended period.
The agency, through its foreign agriculture service division, said the expected rebound would be informed by higher coffee prices, the government’s ongoing coffee reforms programme, and the slowdown by farmers in converting their coffee plantations into real estate business.
Since February 2023, the government has undertaken several reforms in the coffee sector, including placing NCE under the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and the licensing of brokers to take over roles previously undertaken by marketing agents.
Last month, the government concluded a two-month mapping exercise targeted at about 76,696 hectares of coffee farms across the country in a last-minute dash to comply with a European Union (EU) market rule that seeks to ban the sale of goods linked to deforestation starting January next year.
Kenya exports 95 percent of its coffee, with approximately 55 percent going to the EU, mainly Belgium, Germany, Sweden, and Finland.
