Kenya cuts down coffee predictions

NAIROBI: Kenya has lowered its coffee production and export earnings projections for the 2012/13 (October to September) coffee year, due to poor global prices and reduced crop acreage, the industry regulator said yesterday.

The Coffee Board of Kenya said it expected production of 44 000 tons of coffee, which is down from the previous year’s 49 003 tons.

Export earnings for the season could dip to 17 billion shillings ( R1.93bn) from the 19 billion shillings realised in the previous period.