Kigali next

I am currently reading Paul Theroux and he writes that writers talk to themselves. As no one is following this blog yet I expect that I am now talking to myself. Whatever, in the hope that sooner or later someone will stumble on this blog, I will continue!
One of our groups, IriaIni, was placed third in the Kenya Taste of Harvest competition. This is a great achievement as there were entries from 35 groups, all from the better growing areas and with decent coffee. Actually this group had two entries, one each from two different wet mills. One was placed third, and the other 35th! The growing conditions are identical and the factories are within sight of each other; just varying degrees of management. It does make a difference. The upshot of this is that this coffee will be judged again in Kigali next week, along with the placed coffee from all the other producing countries in East, Central and Southern Africa. This will be interesting as Kenyan coffee really is 'The' east African coffee.
One other big news item in the Kenyan coffee scene is the suspension of the marketing liscence of the KPCU, the Kenya Plantation Cooperative Union. Until two years ago this was the only organisation that could dry mill and market smallholder coffee in Kenya. The legislation changed two years ago, but KPCU has continued to operate with reduced volumes, while other millers and marketing agents have started handling smallholder coffee. KPCU will continue to mill coffee, at least for the time being. This is a significant development as this is a politically important group of people. Insolvency though is insolvency, and the way forward looks very difficult for KPCU.
Next week we will be in Kigali for the EAFCA annual jamboree, and will be able to network and also showcase this coffee along with the best the region can produce, to buyers from all over the world.