Kenyan coffee attracted good prices at Tuesday's auction pushed by strong demand but traders expect the amount of top qualities to drop in coming sales.
The average price for the 27,860 50-kg bags sold at the auction was $121.49 compared with $123.09 at last week's sale.
"It was in essence another firm auction with tops once again commanding good premiums," a market report by exporter Esco Kenya said.
Another trader said the volumes of good quality beans would start to decrease in coming auctions to the end of the season in September.
"We expect the quantity of better cupping qualities to decrease. We have reached a plateau," Cetco's Managing Director Charles Cardoso said.
He said that Socfinaf, a marketing agent presenting mainly estate coffees, had started to offer less of the top qualities for which Kenya is famous.
Small holder farms, he said, still had some quality beans to sell.
The country's coffee - high quality Arabica beans grown mainly around Mount Kenya - is used by roasters to blend with coffees of other origins.
According to a Nairobi Coffee Exchange (NCE) report, bottom prices were generally lower for most grades.
A total 28,052 bags will be offered at next Tuesday's auction.
Top AA grade fetched a firmer price of $363 per 50-kg bag but its bottom price fell to $163.
Similarly, grade AB had a good top price of $284 from last week's $267 but its lowest price was weaker at $109 from last week's $124.
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