This article was originally published by James Ngunjiri at Business Daily Africa.
Editor’s note: There is no doubt that Agriculture is Kenya’s most important industry in terms of jobs and wealth creation — especially for ensuring food security. I would also urge government technocrats throughout Africa to seriously take a look at the enormous benefits of growing Industrial Hemp if they’d like to transform their economies, literally, overnight.
Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Panama, Brazil, Indonesia, Ecuador, El-Salvador, Hawaii and DRC Congo also produced high quality coffee factories on this year’s list.
Seven Kenyan factories have been ranked among the world’s best specialty coffee producers, putting the farmers on the path to better earnings for their produce in the international market.
Guama Coffee Factory, a member of Baragwi Co-operative Society in Kirinyaga, tops the 2016 list of 30 quality coffee producers with a score of 97 points out of 100, according to the rating by Coffee Review, an online publication that analyses the quality of coffee globally.
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) and the Cup of Excellence also use the 100-point rating by the publication’s experts.
Coffee Review’s latest report estimates the price of Guama Factory’s coffee at $23.99/12 ounces or $70.5 per kilogramme.
Gatomboya Coffee Factory, a member of Barichu Co-operative Society in Nyeri, came a close second with 96 points out of the possible 100.
Also featured in the list of top quality coffee producers is David Mburu, a lone coffee farmer who scored 96 points.
The list of top quality coffee producers also includes Karatina’s Kenya Small-lot Reserve Karatina (95), Karindundu Factory in Nyeri (95), Murang’a Gondo AA (95) and Nyeri’s Ichamara Coffee Factory with 94 points.