The Best Coffee to Plant in Kenya:Batian or Ruiru 11?
Kelvin Wairimu 
Kenya is renowned for producing some of the highest quality Arabica coffee in the world, though, by volume, it ranks behind Brazil and Ethiopia. Despite low earnings, farmers remain optimistic that coffee prices will rise in the future, prompting a significant push to plant more coffee even as some others are uprooting their crops.
The best coffee variety to plant in Kenya is Grafted Ruiru 11. Ruiru 11 is an F1 hybrid (introgressed) variety developed by the Coffee Research Foundation (now the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, KALRO) in 1985.
This variety was primarily bred for its high resistance to coffee berry disease, following the devastating epidemic in 1968 that led to a 50% loss in Kenya’s coffee production.
High-yielding, Dwarf/Compact hybrid tolerant to coffee leaf rust and resistant to coffee berry disease (CBD)- World Coffee Research
Ruiru 11 boasts a dwarf/compact stature, green or bronze leaf tips, large bean size, and exceptional yield potential. It produces a very good quality cup at high altitudes and performs well in low, medium, and high altitudes.
Ruiru 11 is a fast yielder, with its first production occurring in just two years.
However, Ruiru 11 is highly susceptible to nematodes and has a low tolerance to coffee leaf rust.
Proper nutrient management is required to achieve high yields. By default, Ruiru 11 develops shallow fibrous roots that struggle to absorb water from deeper soil layers.
Read Also: Coffee Farmers Face Losses Over Leaf Rust Disease
To address this, it is often grafted with deep-rooted varieties such as K7 and SL28, which can withstand water stress. This combination makes Ruiru 11 the best coffee variety for Kenyan farmers.
Why Batian is the Worst Coffee Variety for Kenyan Farmers
Developed by KALRO in 2010, the Batian variety has frustrated many farmers in Kenya, leading to widespread uprooting. Currently, there are no large coffee estates exclusively planted with Batian.
Batian grows tall, making it challenging for farmers who planted it using the Ruiru 11 spacing of 6 feet by 6 feet instead of the recommended 8 feet by 8 feet.
A tall variety that combines high yields, tolerance to coffee leaf rust, resistance to coffee berry disease, and good cup quality.-World Coffee Research
While it does produce the largest bean size, it has a low yield potential and shows good cup quality primarily at low altitudes. Additionally, Batian is highly susceptible to nematodes, though it does exhibit good resistance to coffee berry disease and a high tolerance to coffee leaf rust.
Farmers have noted that Batian yields are only high during the first harvest, with subsequent harvests showing a significant decline in production. Overall, it is a tall variety that, despite its initial high yields, presents considerable challenges for farmers in the long term.
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