Coffee exports in July 2018 declined by 8.01 per cent to 393,022 60-kilo bags worth US$ 40.67 million, according to Uganda Coffee Development Authority.
The earnings in July 2018 showed a decline of 17.49 per cent from the same month last year.
Coffee exports for 12 months (August 2017 to July 2018) totaled to 4.42 million bags worth US $483 million comprising Robusta 3.34 million bags worth $346 million and Arabica 1.08 million bags worth US $138 million. 76.36 per cent of the total volume was exported by 10 exporters, out of 34 who performed during the month compared to 78.37 per cent in June 2018.
By comparing quantity of coffee exported by type in the same month of last year (July 2016/17 and 2017/18), Robusta registered a percentage decrease in both Quantity and Value. (10.47 per cent and 21.06 per cent respectively).
Arabica registered a percentage increase in both quantity and value (7.97 per cent and 2.27 per cent respectively). Coffee exports in 10 months (Oct-July) were 4.8 percent and 13.4 per cent lower than the previous year.
Some of the factors that led to the above figurers were low global prices on account of higher crop in Brazil which affected export prices as well as lower production from the main harvest in Masaka and South-Western regions compared to the previous year, new trees coming into production notwithstanding.
Cumulatively, coffee exports for 12 months (August 2017-July 2018) totaled to 4.42 million bags worth US $483 compared to 4.34 million bags worth US $512 million in the previous year (August 2016-July 2017). This was an increase of 1.77 per cent and a decrease of 5.66 per cent in quantity and value respectively.
Uganda is Africa’s biggest exporter of coffee though Ethiopia, the continent’s biggest producer of the crop consumes of it domestically.