UGX322 billion earned from April coffee exports
A worker prepares bags of coffee for the export market. The farm-gate price of coffee rose to about UGX6,000 in the month of April.
Gross earnings from Uganda’s coffee exports in April amounted to about US$85 million (about UGX322 billion), according to the Uganda Coffee Development Authority.
The organisation’s monthly report for April shows that the monthly coffee exports comprised 290,037 bags of Robusta worth $61.5 million and 100,940 bags of Arabica worth about $23.3 million, an increase of about 5% and 42% in quantity and value respectively compared to the same month last year.
Compared to the same month last year, Robusta increased by about 22% and 96% in quantity and value respectively, while Arabica exports decreased by 25% and 18% in quantity and value respectively.
- However, the report indicates that the Robusta monthly export volume was higher than that of last year because of the newly harvested main crop from Masaka and South Western regions.
Arabica exports were however lower than last year due to a smaller harvest in Elgon region.
The report adds that coffee exports for the twelve months (May 2023-April 2024) totalled to 5.92 million bags worth $1.02 billion compared to 5.73 million bags worth US$ 838.8 million in the same period last year, which represents an increase of 3.4% and 21.6% in quantity and value respectively.
- Italy maintained its place as Uganda’s most important export market with 43.87% up from 38% in the previous year, followed by India (8%), U.S.A, Germany, and Belgium.
The top ten major destinations of Uganda coffee took a market share of 87%, while exports to African countries amounted to 24,583 bags, a market share of 6%.
The African countries that imported Uganda coffee included Morocco, Sudan, South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt. Europe however, remained the main destination for Uganda’s coffees with a 69% imports share, higher than 66% in March 2024.
In April, various initiatives were undertaken to enhance coffee production across different regions such as establishing demonstration farms aimed at promoting Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and rehabilitation and renovation (R&R) techniques. These farms totalled 224, strategically distributed across different regions. During the month of April 2024, farm gate prices ranged from Shs 5,500-6,000/= per kilo of Kiboko (Robusta dry cherries).
Globally, world coffee production for 2023/24 is forecast to reach 171.4 million bags , 6.9 million bags higher than the previous Year, while global exports are expected to increase by 8.4 million bags to 119.92 million bags, mainly due to strong shipments from Brazil.
- For May, Uganda's coffee exports are projected to be 450,000 bags.