Agriculture and Food Authority licenses 152 coffee dealers, rejects claims of export monopoly
The authority noted that the licensing procedure is open and transparent, dismissing concerns that one company or a group of companies could be handed a monopoly over exports.
Over 150 coffee dealers have been licensed by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) for the 2025/26 financial year, with the regulator making it clear that no company will be granted exclusive rights to export the crop.
In a statement on Tuesday, AFA Director General Bruno Linyiru said only gazetted dealers are recognised as legitimate exporters.
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“During the registration process, dealers must be gazetted through a Kenya Gazette Notice, which also gives the public a 14-day period to submit any objection to the grant of a license,” the authority said.
The licensing, AFA explained, is carried out in line with the Crops Act, 2013, and the Crops (Coffee) (General) Regulations, 2019, which require all persons or entities intending to export coffee from Kenya to be licensed and gazetted.
To date, a total of 152 dealers have been cleared under three categories, including Coffee Buyers (126), Coffee Warehousemen (15) and Coffee Agents (11).
The authority noted that the licensing procedure is open and transparent, dismissing concerns that one company or a group of companies could be handed a monopoly over exports.
“No single company or group of companies has been or will be given exclusive rights to export coffee. AFA follows a transparent licensing procedure whereby applicants are vetted, approved and subsequently gazetted before being authorised to export coffee,” the regulator said.
It further warned that operating outside the legal framework amounts to a violation of the law.
“Any person or entity engaging in coffee exports without proper licensing and gazettement shall be in violation of the law and will face appropriate legal action,” the statement read.
AFA also drew attention to the Crops (Coffee) (General) Regulations, 2019, particularly regulations 7, 8, 9 and 10, which outline the registration and licensing process, as well as the types of licenses issued by both the Authority and county governments.
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