In a sweeping reform set to redefine Kenya’s coffee sector, the government has announced the opening of its local coffee auctions to international buyers, breaking decades of local monopoly and promising higher earnings for farmers.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, speaking in Nyeri over the weekend, declared the move a long-overdue correction to a system that has historically favoured middlemen over the producers themselves. “Coffee auctions can no longer be the preserve of a few individuals. They must now be open to the entire international market,” Kagwe said.

This bold policy shift, spearheaded in collaboration with Cooperatives CS Wycliffe Oparanya, is expected to introduce real-time global competition into Kenya’s digital auction system, potentially aligning local coffee prices with those on the international stage.

“It is unjust to exclude global buyers who are ready to offer better prices. By opening the market, we’ll uplift the entire value chain and ensure our farmers benefit from their hard work,” Kagwe added, pointing to improved digital infrastructure as a key enabler of this reform.

Kenya’s coffee sector is already on an upward trend. In the 2023–2024 season, clean coffee production reached 49,501 metric tonnes, while cherry prices climbed to KSh 81.05 per kilogram, an encouraging sign of growing demand. From October 2024 to April 2025, farmers earned KSh 27.6 billion through the auction of 535,941 bags, facilitated by 15 licensed brokers.

Among the top performers was Alliance Berries Limited, which handled 36.46% of the traded coffee, worth KSh 10.77 billion.

By allowing direct participation of global buyers, the government aims to dismantle entrenched local cartels, foster price transparency, and secure sustainable income for the hundreds of thousands who rely on coffee farming.

The coffee reform is being hailed as a turning point in Kenya’s agricultural landscape, with hopes that it will not only lift farmer earnings but also solidify Kenya’s standing as a premier global coffee exporter.