Nairobi Coffee Exchange reported that coffee growers earned KSh41.63 billion in the 2025/2026 coffee year.

The revenue came from roughly 47 million kilogrammes of coffee sold between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026, representing 770,034 bags auctioned.

This amount exceeds the KSh35.6 billion recorded in the previous year by about KSh6 billion, even though the earlier season saw 673,844 bags sold.

NCE attributed the rise to higher coffee prices and stronger market demand, noting that prices remained relatively firm for most of the trading period.

By May, the exchange had already logged KSh32.25 billion from 36.93 million kilogrammes, with an average price of KSh43,780 per 50-kilogram bag.

The final auction, Sale 42, held on September 29, showed a modest price dip as 17,765 bags generated KSh841.3 million, lowering the average to KSh38,140 per bag or about KSh762 per kilogram of clean coffee.

Despite the late-season dip, the overall figures indicate that sales value grew faster than bag volume compared with the prior year.

Lisper Ndung’u, chief executive officer of NCE, said eighteen brokers took part in marketing the coffee, with Alliance Berries Limited leading by handling 222,329 bags, roughly 29 per cent of total trade.

New Kenya Planters’ Cooperative Union followed with 137,284 bags, about 18 per cent, and together the two firms accounted for roughly 61 per cent of all coffee moved through the exchange.

Other notable brokers included Kipkelion with 58,356 bags, CEBBA with 40,789 bags and Minnesota with 30,405 bags.

County growers’ cooperatives also performed well: Meru sold 21,786 bags worth KSh23.8 million, Mt Elgon 15,334 bags valued at KSh17.9 million, and Murang’a 12,476 bags generating KSh13.3 million.

The higher earnings arrive as the coffee sector pushes to improve production, quality and access to better-priced markets, with the NCE emphasizing that bean quality, origin and grading continue to drive price outcomes.

Kenya National Bureau of Statistics data show that the average auction price rose to USD 7.21 per kilogram in 2025 from USD 4.90 in 2024, even as total volume fell.

Henry Kinyua, chairman of the Coffee Board of Kenya, expressed optimism for the 2026/2027 coffee year but urged growers to keep up recommended farming practices to sustain premium quality.

He warned that adherence to these practices is essential for maintaining the ability to attract high international prices.

The industry now moves into the 2026/2027 season aiming to build on the stronger earnings while tackling ongoing challenges in production, quality and marketing.

NCE said it will keep releasing auction results and market analyses to enhance transparency for growers and other participants.