Uganda’s coffee exports rise 17%

By George Mangula

Uganda’s coffee exports in July 2020 when compared to July 2019 rose by 17.15 percent to 543,251 60-kilo bags worth US$ 49.78 million, according to Uganda Coffee Development Authority.

UCDA says the value of July 2020 coffee exports increased by 13.67 percent from the same month last year.

“This is the highest monthly export figure in terms of quantity since liberalization,” UCDA says in its latest report.

By comparing the quantity of coffee exported by type in the same month of last Coffee Year (July 2019), Robusta increased both in quantity and value (20.84 percent and of 13.17 percent) respectively. Arabica exports registered a 1.34 percent decrease in quantity and 15.74 percent increase in value.

The increase in exports has been attributed to the increased production on account of fruition of the newly planted coffee, and favorable weather. Exporters also drew down on their stocks after easing the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Exports have to some extent been affected by logistical issues such as lack of containers.

Meanwhile coffee exports for the 12 months amounted to 5,185,423-kilo bags worth US$ 502.27 million compared to 4,239,095 60-kilo bags worth US$ 418.39 million the previous year. This represents 22.32 percent and 20.05 percent increase in both quantity and value respectively.

UCDA projects coffee exports for August to be 405,000 bags. “The effect of COVID-19 on Uganda coffee production is yet to be quantified as lockdown is further relaxed and trucks are able to travel to the rural areas to procure coffee. Harvesting of the main crop south of the Equator …is at its tail end.”

Uganda is Africa’s largest coffee exporter even though Ethiopia which consumes most of its crop domestically is the continent’s biggest producer of the crop.