We are in the presence of a revolution, a revolution of farmers! In case you hadn't noticed, revolutions are no longer about warfare. Today revolutions are spiritual, technological or ideological. Furthermore, the leaders no longer die for their cause, but instead, seek refuge in a neighbouring country until the danger passes or they simply change their beliefs. This is precisely what has happened in Kenya, a revolution. The coffee farmer's revolution! Although, according to our records collected over the years, we had established that Kenya was the African country where the best price per kg of cherry was paid (about 1 USD per kg). But the coffee farmers were not happy with that, and who is? We all want more, it's part of our human nature. The problem here was not greed, but rather that many of them did not generate enough income to cover their production costs. This resulted in many of them giving up coffee, in favour of more profitable crops such as avocado or macadamia.
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As we prepare to receive a new harvest of Kenyan coffee, we realise that there are several misconceptions associated with Kenyan coffee, let's review the most common ones: 1.- There is a misconception that Kenyan coffees are too acidic and unsuitable for use in espresso or milk-based drinks. However, this is simply not true. The acidity level of a coffee can be controlled by adjusting the roast profile. Although some coffees have a higher natural acidity, this can always be reduced by roasting if necessary.
As of today, we are informed that some milling facilities are operational but are experiencing significant delays. We plan to complete the selection process by the end of February and start milling in March. Our target is to have the coffee in Barcelona by April. However, there may be unforeseen delays, so we suggest you stay informed and caffeinated. Kenyan coffee has always been highly valued by roasters and importers, and international prices serve as a benchmark for the local price on the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. However, the coffee sector is currently struggling and in need of renewal, as more and more farmers abandon coffee farming in favour of better-paying enterprises such as real estate and avocado cultivation. The government is working to halt the decline, as there are concerns that the once-thriving coffee sub-sector has lost its lustre.
As the new harvest begins in Kenya, it is always important to dive into the complex relationship between coffee, politics, climate change, industry trends and international trade. The harvest has started this November at a very slow pace, and shows great potential for western coffees, i.e., the Bungoma region and its surroundings. In addition, the big news is a new government proposing deep structural changes to the industry at different levels, large millers and traders, the Nairobi Coffee Exchange and the cooperatives. In Kenya, there are three major coffee trading companies: Sucafina, Ecom and NKG. These companies also own factories and marketing agencies that were formed in accordance with government regulations, which required that a company could only engage in marketing, milling or exporting if it had companies dedicated solely to that particular service. With the current reforms, these companies lost their licences and were required to apply for a licence for a single service, e.g., marketing only.
Things are changing for the better in Kenya, the average price of coffee cherries has increased from USD 0.45 per kg of cherry in 2016/2017 to USD 0.80 per kg of cherry in the year 2020/2021, a 78% grow! But what has happened in the year 2021/2022? According to information from the Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCI), coffee production increased by 64% in the 2021/2022 harvest, compared to the previous year, and income increased by 90% in the same period. This is the result of a lower supply to the global market, because in Brazil, the harsh weather conditions caused up to 20% of the entire harvest to be lost in the last season. And in Ethiopia, the world's fifth largest producer, agricultural activities have been interrupted by the conflict between the government and the militia in the Tigray region.
Grafting is a horticultural technique whereby plant tissues are joined together to continue growing together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the stem, while the lower part is called the rootstock. The Ruiru 11 variety was released in 1985. The name of the variety has the prefix "Ruiru" which refers to the location of the Kenya Coffee Research Station where the variety was developed. The variety is not only resistant to CBD and CLR, but is also compact, allowing farmers to intensify production per unit of land.
It is frequently pointed out that Kenyan coffees are the best in the world. Also, that its cup profile is unique and that it must always be within certain parameters (blackcurrant, berries, winey, juicy), or else it would not be a good example of a good Kenyan coffee. It seems that the industry has preconceptions about what is a good coffee, and what flavors should be obtained from a certain origin; as if the production of coffee were an exact formula, similar to a highly efficient factory where economies of scale are generated and from which the same result is always obtained.
Pseudoscience is a tendency to make claims without any scientific basis. For example, anti-vaccine activism can cause people to forego proven medical treatments, which can lead to death or serious health problems.
In our beloved industry, unfortunately, we often come across "pseudo-scientists" who make assertions that are not based on scientific methodology, but rather are based on "coffee mythology" (if such a thing exists), or ideas that are more fabrication of the industry, than serious scientific studies regarding a given topic. Let's take the concept of a cup profile for a minute. How on earth, could someone assure what the cup profile of a given origin is? Information is power, as they say. Long long long time ago, the purchase decision in any transaction was based on the comparison of the final price of a product (commodity) offered by several suppliers (competitors). These competitors were very reluctant to share their price lists, and clients spent long hours collecting those lists in order to have all the necessary information to make the right choice. But the world has changed, today with a single click we can compare prices of an unlimited number of products and suppliers, so price lists have become old and public, rather than a secret element of strategic negotiation. Today what is most important is the value of the product, not its price. We work hard to add value in coffee. If your product does not make any difference from the rest of the coffees in the market, it becomes a commodity. The price of a commodity is established as the point of equilibrium of supply and demand of future contracts. Price fluctuation (that is, the movement of the supply and demand curves) is affected by such a large number of variables that they are uncontrollable. For example, if there is a frost in Brazil, Sumatran coffees rise in price; And if there is an excess of production in Brazil, Sumatran coffees will lower their price; In both cases, without the Sumatran coffee farmer having moved a single finger.
Every coffee farm in the world, even the most reputable one, will produce good, medium and bad quality beans. Therefore, separating the better, bigger and denser beans from those lighter and defective, is key to maximize the financial result of the producer. In Kenya, after a certain lot has been processed, it will be delivered to the Marketing Agent (MA) in parchment by the producer or cooperative. The MA then, will mill and grade the lot by shape and size, and give this lot an unique "Outturn Number" (ON), before delivering a sample to the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. This ON will be crucial to provide transparency and traceability to the system. |
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