Uganda’s coffee exports fetch US$32.6m in February

By Our Reporter

Coffee exports in February 2019 amounted to 323,828 60-kilo bags worth US$32.65 million, Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) says in the latest report.

This comprised 261,852 bags (US$24.24 million) of Robusta and 61,976 bags (US$ 8.41 million) of Arabica. However, according to the report, this was a decrease of 16.68 percent and 21.19 percent in quantity and value respectively from the same month last year.

By comparing quantity of coffee exported by type in the same month of last coffee year (February 2017/18 and 2018/19), Robusta registered a percentage decrease in both quantity and value (11.19 percent and 17.29 percent) respectively.

Arabica exports also registered a percentage decrease in both quantity and value (33.93 percent and 30.61 percent respectively.

Coffee exports for the last 12 months (March 2018-February 2019) amounted to 4.10 million bags worth US$ 423 million compared to 4.76 million worth US$542 million the previous year, a 13.95 percent and 22.06 percent reduction in both quantity and value respectively.

Notable factors that led to this were: Low global prices on account of higher crop in Brazil which affected export prices and high stocks at exporter level of over 1 million bags and a drought effect in some regions.

The destinations of Uganda’s coffee exports during the month of February 2019 were as:  Exports to Italy had the highest market share with 29.64 percent compared to 11.77 percent in January, it was followed by Germany with 13.13 percent compared to 15.26 percent in January, Sudan had 11.89 percent compared to 13.11 percent in January, Belgium and Spain had 6.11 percent and 4.11 percent compared to 4.84 percent and 5.59 percent respectively.

Coffee exports to Africa amounted to 59,430bags, a market share of 18.35% compared to 62,860 bags the previous month.