Coffee exports in February 2019 amounted to 323,828 60-kilo bags worth US$32.65 million, Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) says in the latest report.
This comprised 261,852 bags (US$24.24 million) of Robusta and 61,976 bags (US$ 8.41 million) of Arabica. However, according to the report, this was a decrease of 16.68 per cent and 21.19 per cent in quantity and value respectively from the same month last year.
By comparing quantity of coffee exported by type in the same month of last coffee year (February 2017/18 and 2018/19), Robusta registered a percentage decrease in both quantity and value (11.19 per cent and 17.29 per cent) respectively.
Arabica exports also registered a percentage decrease in both quantity and value (33.93 percent and 30.61 percent respectively.
Coffee exports for the last 12 months (March 2018-February 2019) amounted to 4.10 million bags worth US $423 million compared to 4.76 million worth US $542 million the previous year, a 13.95 per cent and 22.06 per cent reduction in both quantity and value respectively.
Notable factors that led to this were: Low global prices on account of higher crop in Brazil which affected export prices and high stocks at exporter level of over 1 million bags and a drought effect in some regions.
The destinations of Uganda’s coffee exports during the month of February 2019 were as: Exports to Italy had the highest market share with 29.64 per cent compared to 11.77 per cent in January, it was followed by Germany with 13.13 per cent compared to 15.26 per cent in January, Sudan had 11.89 per cent compared to 13.11 per cent in January, Belgium and Spain had 6.11 per cent and 4.11 per cent compared to 4.84 per cent and 5.59 per cent respectively.
Coffee exports to Africa amounted to 59,430bags, a market share of 18.35 per cent compared to 62,860 bags the previous month.
