Economist David Ndii has praised the strides being made in Kenya’s coffee sector, highlighting Kericho County’s rise to become the country’s leading coffee producer after overtaking Kiambu.
Ndii, while speaking during the launch of the NCBA 2026 economic outlook on Tuesday, October 3, 2026, acknowledged the changing dynamics in the coffee industry, pointing to the latest production figures showing Kericho taking the top position among coffee-producing counties.
“Kericho has overtaken Kiambu as the highest producer of coffee,” David Ndii stated.
According to the figures shared on the County Government of Kericho’s website, Kericho produced approximately 6.01 million kilograms of clean coffee, valued at about Ksh5.29 billion.
Murang’a followed with approximately 4.96 million kilograms, while Nyeri ranked third with about 4.63 million kilograms.
Kiambu, which has traditionally been among Kenya’s leading coffee-producing counties, ranked fifth with approximately 4.18 million kilograms, behind Kirinyaga, which occupied fourth position.
The figures place Kericho ahead of several established coffee-growing counties, marking a significant shift in the country’s coffee production landscape.
Ndii further expressed optimism about the sector’s future, projecting that coffee could eventually surpass tea in export earnings if the current momentum is sustained.
Tea has maintained a leading position among Kenya’s major agricultural exports for decades, contributing significantly to foreign exchange earnings and supporting millions of livelihoods across the country.
However, renewed attention to coffee production, improved returns to farmers and increased investment in the value chain could strengthen the crop’s contribution to the economy.
Kericho’s emergence at the top of the production rankings also highlights the county’s growing significance in Kenya’s agricultural economy.
The development comes amid renewed efforts to revitalise the coffee industry, improve farmers’ earnings and strengthen Kenya’s position in the international coffee market.
Further details contained in the county government’s coffee production data show that Kericho produced 6,000,516 kilograms of clean coffee, valued at approximately Ksh5.29 billion, equivalent to USD41 million.
Murang’a followed with 4,959,789 kilogrammes valued at Ksh4.33 billion, while Nyeri recorded 4,627,312 kilogrammes worth approximately Ksh4.18 billion. Kirinyaga came fourth with 4,606,788 kilogrammes valued at Ksh4.31 billion, while Kiambu completed the top five with 4,175,636 kilogrammes worth Ksh3.46 billion.
The comparison figures in the county’s document also highlight changes in production among the leading coffee-growing counties. Kericho’s clean coffee output increased from 3,027,701 kilograms in the comparison column to 6,000,516 kilograms, while Nyeri’s production figures moved from 5,461,591 to 4,627,312 kilograms. Kirinyaga also recorded a decline from 6,787,583 to 4,606,788 kilograms.
Other counties featuring prominently in the rankings include Nandi, which produced 2,222,087 kilograms, and Bungoma, which recorded 1,838,273 kilograms, placing them sixth and seventh, respectively. The figures underline the growing contribution of counties outside the traditional Central Kenya coffee belt to Kenya’s coffee production.
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