Kenya

Kenya grows washed arabica mainly on the volcanic slopes around Mount Kenya and the Aberdares, where smallholders deliver cherry to cooperative 'factories' and estates mill their own. A bimodal rainfall pattern gives a main and a fly crop each year. Coffee is sold through the weekly Nairobi Coffee Exchange auction, in place since the 1930s, or by direct 'second window' contracts, and it is graded by bean size into AA, AB, PB and lower classes.

Arabica Harvesting in November

Production 2026/27
950kbags57k t · USDA PSD
Exports 2026/27
940kbags99% of the harvest
Arabica share
100%
World rank
18of 400.5% of origin output
Area harvested 2024
114khaFAOSTAT
Altitude
1,400–2,000m

Production and exports

60 kg bags · USDA PSD market years
0200k400k600k800k1000k1200k201020122014201620182020202220242026Production950kExports940kDomestic use62k
0200k400k600k800k1000k1200k’10’20Production950kExports940kDomestic use62k

Market years 2010/11 to 2026/27; the last year is USDA's current estimate. Domestic use is PSD's domestic consumption line.

Area harvested, hectares · FAOSTAT

100k120k140k160k180k’10’15’20Area114k

FAOSTAT crops and livestock products, item green coffee (CC BY 4.0). Values flagged as estimates by FAO are included as published.

Where the coffee goes

Supply and use
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Production, Supply and Distribution (PSD), market years. Supply on the left equals use on the right.
Stocks carried in97k
Production950k
Imports75k
Exports940k
Domestic use62k
Stocks carried out120k
Share of the harvest exported99%
Rank among producing origins by exports18 of 37

Where the exports go is not published here. Shipments by destination, including US imports from Kenya, come from USITC DataWeb and the Census trade API, which need credentials we do not hold yet.

Harvest

Harvest calendar for every origin
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Main cropFly cropTypical US arrival

  • Whole country · main cropOct–Jan · US Apr–May

    Cafe Imports widens the main (late) crop to August-January; Mercanta gives October-January with arrivals mid-April to May. Arrival months from Mercanta (consuming markets generally).

  • Whole country · fly cropMay–Jul

    Cafe Imports gives April-July, Mercanta May-July; exports of fly crop around August-October per Mercanta, arrival month not stated.

Growing regions

12 regions

Varieties, processing and grading

Main varieties

SL28SL34Ruiru 11BatianK7

Common processing

Washed (wet, fully washed)

Export grading

Kenya size and density grades (EAS 130 / Nairobi Coffee Exchange)

ICO certifying agent: Coffee Board of Kenya

Character and protected names

Flavour tendencies

Kenyan coffees are prized for intense, juicy acidity with black-currant, grapefruit and tomato-like savoury notes, the SL varieties giving the most vivid cups; Nyeri tends toward tart and juicy, Embu toward darker fruit, Kirinyaga toward floral delicacy.

General tendencies from importer origin notes, not a promise about any lot. The claims behind them are listed with their sources at the foot of the page.

Geographical indications and protected names

None recorded for Kenya.