Monthly coffee exports record marginal drop

KAMPALA. There was a slight decline in both export volumes and value of Uganda’s coffee in the month of February.
The latest report from Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) shows that in the month of February – the fifth on the coffee calendar, the country exported a total of 397,883 60-kilogramme bags of coffee (indicating a 1.7 per cent decline) valued at $48.50 million.

“This indicated a 1.7 per cent and 0.99 per cent decline in volume and value of coffee exported in the month of January respectively,” the report noted.
However, the last three months on the calendar- coffee, the country’s leading export commodity went through a growth trend.
In November, December and January, the country exported more than 400,000 60-kilogramme bags before shifting downwards to 397,000 60-kilogramme bags in the month of February.
Industry watchers said this performance was not to last for a long period of time putting into perspective that coffee like other commodities was affected by the long drought.

In an earlier interview with this newspaper, Mr Joseph Nkandu, the executive director National Union of Coffee Agribusiness and Farm Enterprises, said: “This performance to continue throughout the year is pegged on the rains if they come in the early months of 2017. If not that, this volume we see currently is just temporary.”
However, looking at the industry performance for the last 12-months (March 2016-February 2017) there was an increase of 3.79 per cent and 7.69 per cent in quantity and value of coffee exports.
“In this period the country exported a total of 3.74 million bags valued at $412 million (Shs1.4 trillion), compared to 3.60 million bags worth $382 million (Shs1.3 trillion) in the corresponding period the previous year,” the report said.

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