International Coffee Day: Did you know Uganda is Africa's leading coffee exporter?

Did you know that Uganda is the Birthplace of Robusta Coffee? Robusta is 80 percent of the country's total exports of 4.6 million (60kg) bags.
Uganda is Africa's leading Coffee exporting country and second largest producer on the continent. Currently Uganda produces about 4.6 million (60kg bags) valued at about $500m. Coffee employs 5m Ugandans majority of who are women.

Today, Uganda joins the rest of the World to commemorate October 1st -International Coffee Day.
The 2019 International Coffee Day will be held at the Ankole Coffee Producers’ Cooperative Union (ACPCU) premises in Kabwohe, Sheema District on October 4.
There will be a few presentations made but much emphasis will be put on Domestic Coffee consumption campaigns to promote local consumption and awareness among communities about coffee and its health/medicinal benefits.

Organizations will present their products and services in an exhibition running currently with a panel discussion on the day.
Organizations and networks specifically targeted at community building and those established by community members are highly encouraged to attend.
The exhibition provides a unique opportunity to exhibitors to display the best coffees and affiliated services providing many opportunities to network with stakeholders from the entire coffee fraternity. This will be the perfect platform for gathering valuable coffee information, building trade relations and buyer and seller interaction.

Africa is the cradle of coffee and is a producer of some of the best coffees in the world. However, social, economic and political problems can hinder its development.
For Uganda, the country's political stability since 1986 has participated in the end of ethnic tensions which greatly contributed to the production of coffee, mainly Robusta and an excellent washed Arabica grown largely in Bugisu region in eastern Ugandan.

Below are some of the statistics:-
Exports Volumes
1989-1990s= 2.3 million bags
2000-2016= 3 million bags
2016-2017= 4.6 million bags
2017-2018 =4.7 million bags
2020-2025= Projections to go to 20 million bags
Industry Players FY 2017/18
• 92 registered export companies
• 36 Export Grading Plants
• 537 Hulleries (dry processing plants)
• 22 washing stations
• 3% of Uganda’s exports are verified or certified “sustainable” below the global average of 8%.
• Farmer receives ~75% of export (FOB-Free on Truck) price
• 18% of export earnings derived from coffee
• Coffee represents less than 20% of the average family plot, but provides over 50% of cash income in an average year.
• Uganda accounts for 7% of global Robusta exports.

Domestic Consumption
• 244,800 (60 Kg Bags)
• Per capita consumption, 1.4 kg (provisional)
Number of Coffee Growing Districts
• 112 Districts, 88 Robusta only, 15 Arabica only and 9 Districts grow both Robusta and Arabica
• 1.7 million households grow Coffee
Coffee Trees under Production
• 330 million trees (Robusta, 240,000; Arabica, 40,244)
• Annual production: ~282,000 tons (8th globally)