The monthly report for July 2022 from Uganda Coffee Development (UCDA) has shown that Uganda earned Shs320.9bn from coffee exports amounting to 576,468 60-kilo bags.
Among the exported kilos include 528,235 bags of Robusta valued at the US $71.53 million and 48,233 bags of Arabica valued at US$ 11.99 million.
According to the report, July’s coffee exports decreased by 17.57 per cent in quantity but increased by 19.56 per cent in value compared to the same month last year.
In comparison to the last year’s exports in the same month of July Robusta decreased by 19.91 per cent in quantity but increased by 13.92 per cent in value while Arabica exports increased by 21.24 per cent and 69.70 per cent in quantity and value respectively.
In total coffee exports for 12 months (that is from August 2021- July 2022) totalled 6.14 million bags worth US$ 875.95 million (Shs3.3trillion) compared to 6.23 million bags worth US$ 578.77 million (Shs2.1trillion) the previous year (August 2020-July 2021). This represents a decrease of 1.57 per cent in quantity but an increase of 51.35 per cent value.
According to UCDA, the decrease in Robusta exports to lower yields this year is due to a prolonged drought in most parts of the country; “This led to a shorter main harvest season in Central and Eastern regions and reduced harvests from Greater Masaka and South-Western regions,” the report says, adding: “The increase in Arabica coffee exports is due to an on-year cycle characteristic of Arabica coffee production.”
Exports by Type and Grade
According to the report, Robusta exports accounted for 92 per cent of total exports higher than 84 per cent in June 2022.
The average Robusta price was US$ 2.26 per kilo, 3 cents lower than the previous month. Organic Robusta and washed Robusta fetched the highest price of US$ 2.46 per kilo. They were followed by Screen 17 at US$ 2.42 per kilo.
“Screen 17 was 14 cents higher than Screen 15 concretizing government policy of expanding exportable grades,” the report says, adding that the share of Sustainable/washed coffee to total Robusta exports was only 1.09 per cent.
Arabica fetched an average price of US$ 4.14 per kilo, 27 cents lower than in June 2022. The highest price was Organic Okoro sold at US$ 5.75 per kilo a premium of US cents 95 over conventional Bugisu AA, and was followed by Wugar sold at US$ 5.55 per kilo,. Drugar was sold at US$ 4.18 per kilo, a discount of US cents 62 from Bugisu AA.
Drugar exports were 41 per cent of total Arabica exports compared to 61 per cent the previous month And the share of sustainable Arabica exports to total Arabica exports was 5 per cent.
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