A total of 152 companies have been cleared by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) to trade in coffee during the 2025/26 financial year, signalling the government’s push to regulate players in one of Kenya’s most vital export industries.

According to AFA Director General Bruno Linyuru, the latest approvals cover 126 coffee buyers, 15 warehouse operators, and 11 agents.

Their names have been gazetted, confirming them as the only firms authorised to export coffee in line with the existing regulations.

The announcement followed questions raised after a gazette notice dated August 22 suggested that ten firms had been given exclusive rights to handle coffee exports, roasting, and packaging.

AFA has since clarified that the gazettement process is a legal requirement but does not automatically grant exclusivity.

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In its communication, the authority explained, "AFA wishes to inform the public that registration of coffee dealers in the country is an ongoing process, undertaken continuously within the confines of the law. 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 statement further added, "The Crops Act, 2013, and the Crops (Coffee) (General) Regulations, 2019, require all persons or entities intending to export coffee from Kenya to be licensed and gazetted through a Kenya Gazette Notice. To date, AFA has licensed 152 coffee dealers under various categories during the financial year 2025/26."

At the same time, AFA issued a warning that individuals or firms attempting to export coffee without the necessary clearance would face legal action.

The gazette notice published last week also listed ten additional applicants awaiting approval. If their licences are confirmed, seven will be allowed to import, roast, and package coffee for export, while three will be limited to selling green coffee directly to buyers abroad.

The separation of roles, according to the authority, is intended to promote efficiency and encourage specialisation within the sector.

As required by law, the public has been given a 14-day window from the date of the notice to submit objections before the licences are finalised.

With the new season approaching, the Ministry of Agriculture insists that the structured licensing process is essential to protect the integrity of Kenya’s coffee trade and keep unlicensed operators out of the market.