Changing weather takes toll on Uganda’s coffee exports

Kampala.

Changes in weather are taking a toll on coffee - Uganda’s leading export earner, as country closed the year with poor performance in both value and volume.

According to a Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) report in September, the twelfth month in the calendar, the country exported 3.3 million kilogramme bags down from 3.4 million kilogramme bags it exported last year.

The UCDA report indicates: “Out of what was exported, the country earned $326 million (Shs1.1 trillion) down from $410 million (Shs1.4 trillion) earned the previous year.”
This indicated a 4.2 per cent and 20.4 per cent drop in volume and value, respectively compared to the previous year.

Some experts in the industry attribute this poor performance to majorly climate change and a slight drop in the global prices.

Mr Gerald Katabazi, a coffee grower and processor of Volcano Coffee in an interview with Daily Monitor yesterday, said: “Recent changes in weather patterns have brought a setback in coffee production especially in areas of greater Masaka, Mubende and Mityana districts well known for huge production.”

Coffee prices were in the range of Shs2,000 to 2,300 per kilo of Kiboko (Robusta dry cherries); Shs4,000 to 4,500 for Fair average quality (FAQ); Arabica parchment was sold between Shs4,200 and Shs4,600 per kilo. Drugar from Kasese was in the range of Shs5,000 to Shs5, 500 per kilo.

Global status

Production. The 2015/16 global production is estimated at 148 million bags and consumption at 151.3 million bags which gives a global deficit of 3.3 million bags

Accumulated stock. The world market remains well supplied by stocks accumulated during surplus years of 2012/1 and 2013/14

Drop.

Coffee exports in the first eleven months (October-August) of the coffee year 2015/16 were 102.80 million bags down by 1 per cent compared to last year