Kericho Farmers Make New Chance in Coffee as Production, Sales Rise

By Esther Murigi

A growing number of farmers in Kericho County are turning from tea to coffee farming as new data shows the crop is fast emerging as the county’s next big economic pillar.

Once known almost exclusively for its rolling tea estates, Kericho is now gaining attention for its high-quality Arabica coffee.

According to the latest report from the Coffee Directorate (2025), Kericho farmers produced approximately 1,380 metric tonnes of coffee last year, generating an estimated KSh 165 million in sales.

There is a sharp increase from just 720 tonnes worth about KSh 82 million recorded in 2022. Officials project that the county could surpass  2,000 tonnes by 2026 if the current planting trend continues.

The change comes after years of fluctuating tea prices and rising production costs, which pushed farmers to seek alternative cash crops.

With support from the Kericho County Government, the  National Coffee Directorate, and local cooperatives, many smallholders have embraced coffee farming due to its demand.

Mr. Peter Rono, a farmer from Kipkelion East, says they have been depending on tea for too long, but the payments kept getting smaller. Yet Coffee is giving them new hope because Last season he harvested 600 kilos and sold at KSh 110 per kilo.

The county’s high altitude, rich volcanic soil, and cool climate have proven ideal for producing top-grade Arabica beans. Areas such as **Kipkelion, Londiani, Belgut, and Bureti** are now dotted with newly established coffee farms.

County Executive for Agriculture, Mr. Jonah Mutai, says over 300,000 coffee seedlings have been distributed to farmers since 2023 under the Coffee Revitalization Program.

The county has also trained more than 1,000 farmers on best farming practices, pruning, pest management, and post-harvest handling.

Mutai said that Kericho’s coffee sector is on a revival path. They are encouraging farmers not to abandon tea completely, but to expand. Coffee can bring in up to KSh 150 per kilogram when sold through the Nairobi Coffee Exchange.

The county has also launched the Kericho Coffee Cooperative Union, bringing together more than 2,000 smallholder farmers from across the region.

Ms. Sarah Chemtai said that through the union, they can negotiate better prices and access credit for inputs; before, most of them sold through brokers who underpaid them.

According to data from the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, top-quality Kericho coffee fetched between KSh 950 and KSh 1,200 per kilogram during auctions held in mid-2025, putting it among the most competitive coffees from the Rift Valley region.

However, experts caution that while the sector is growing, challenges remain. High input costs, limited access to quality seedlings, and delayed payments from some cooperatives still discourage new competitors.

Coffee officer Ms. Caroline Chepkorir says the county is addressing these concerns. “We’re partnering with KALRO to introduce disease-resistant varieties and improve quality control. We also plan to establish a mini coffee mill in Kipkelion to help farmers add value locally.”

The change is also attracting attention from youth and women’s groups. In Kapsuser, 25-year-old Mercy Cherono has converted part of her family’s tea farm into a coffee plot. She has planted 800 coffee trees. They’re doing well, and she is confident the returns will be better than tea.

Nationally, Kenya exported about 51,000 tonnes of coffee in 2024, earning the country KSh 28 billion, up from 44,000 tonnes the previous year.

The Coffee Directorate notes that counties like Kericho, Bomet, and Nandi once tea strongholds, are contributing more to that rise.

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The Author is Esther Murigi certified Broadcast Journalist