Kenyan Coffee Production May Increase as Much as 15%
Kenya’s coffee production may rise as much as 15 percent in 2010-11 because of improved weather, the Coffee Board of Kenya said.
Output in the 12 months through September may range from 49,000 to 55,000 metric tons, James Wahome, the quality manager at the board, said today by phone from Thika in central Kenya.
“We expect some improvement this season because the weather has not been very bad,” he said. “We are seeing a lot of greenery giving hope for a better crop.”
The 2009-10 production figure of 48,000 tons was higher than a provisional estimate of 39,000 to 40,000 tons after figures were reconciled, Wahome said. Output declined from more than 58,000 tons the previous season after bad weather cut yields, according to the board.
Export earnings in 2009-10 rose 25 percent to 15 billion Kenyan shillings ($189.2 million) because of improved global prices, Wahome said. The country exports nearly all its annual production, he said without providing shipment figures for the past two seasons. The Nairobi Coffee Exchange handles 85 percent of the exports, while the rest is through direct sales, he said.
The East African country plans to raise output to 100,000 tons over the next five years by aiding smallholders to boost production, according to the board. Kenya has about 700,000 small-scale farmers who account for about two-thirds of annual output.
Kenya harvests the bulk of its crop from October through December, while a secondary crop is reaped from April to June.
To contact the reporter on this story: Fred Ojambo in Kampala at fojambo@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Richardson at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.
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