Nairobi, Nov. 15 - Kenya will start exporting specialty coffee in February next year, a senior Kenyan coffee official said Thursday, following a training program.
"Sales of specialty coffee will begin in February next year, now that we have qualified people," said Peter Michori, chairman of the state-run Coffee Board of Kenya.
International Finance Corp., the World Bank's private-sector lending arm, in partnership with the coffee board and Coffee Research Foundation hired U.S.-based, nonprofit Coffee Quality Institute to train and help Kenyan farmers to establish relationships with specialty coffee markets, especially in the U.S., in an effort to maximize their returns.
IFC funded the project, Michori said, but he couldn't disclose the size of funding. Earlier reports said IFC had set aside 14 million Kenyan shillings ($211,000) for the project.
Growers from 100 selected coffee factories were trained how to process coffee to specialty standards and there are now globally recognized qualified cuppers, graders and chief liquorers among those who graduated last week, Michori said.
"If coffee is subjected to specialty grade assessment methods and certified, it will fetch better prices in the international market," he said, and urged farmers to venture into specialty coffee production.
Coffee producers have also been trained in marketing and quality management, Michori said, and the program has helped the Specialty Coffee Growers Association of Kenya to develop a strategic plan and a Web site to market members' coffee.
The grading system, developed by the Specialty Coffee Association of America, defines standards for cup quality and is a highly effective method for identifying quality coffees.
Global market demand for specialty coffee stands at 10 million bags and is expected to rise to 30 million bags by next year.
Kenya is known for its high quality arabica beans used by roasters to blend with coffees from other origins.