The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), in a joint operation with Uganda Revenue Authority, Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives and the Uganda Police have seized over 400 liters of alcohol packed in bottles less than 200mls, worth Shs7.4 million in the Kampala City Centre.

Alcohol brands like Lords Blended Malt Whiskey, Royal Circle Whiskey, Legend Whiskey, Mr Doweel’s, Blue Skyz Vodka, Uganda Waragi, Bond 7, Beckam gin, Herdsman blended Whisky, Red Sorghum Whiskey and Twebeleremu Extra gin, packed in 180mls and 100mls bottles were impounded from Divine Traders, Mwebale enterprises and Felix enterprises among others.

Following a cabinet directive issued in 2017, banning consumption and sale of alcohol in sachet and in bottles less than 200mls, manufacturers were given up to 30th March 2019 to seize production while retailers were given up to 31st May 2019 to stop selling the sachets.

Upon expiration of the deadlines, the Minister of Trade Industry and Cooperatives, Hon. Amelia Kyambadde instituted a multi-sectoral task force to enforce the ban, which kicked off with an operation in Kampala City Center.

During the launch of the taskforce in September 2019, the Minister Amelia Kyambadde noted that excessive consumption and abuse of alcohol has detrimental effects on humans, citing effects like mental and behavioral disorders, liver and cardiovascular diseases, injuries, traffic accidents, violence, low productivity, public endangerment and death.

Enforcement of the ban is expected to spread to different parts of Uganda to ensure that alcohol packed in sachets and bottles less than 200mls is totally phased out of the Ugandan market.

Stories Continues after ad

A proposal to amend the East African Community (EAC) Customs Management Act, 2014, to extend the time for removal of bulk containerized goods from the ports of discharge, is in the offing, in a move likely to reduce the cost of doing business in the region.

In the regard, the Assembly has granted EALA legislator Abdikadir Omar Aden, leave to introduce a Bill to amend section 34 (5) of the existing Customs Management Act, 2014, to realise the above objective. With it, the Assembly further adopted a motion to amend the Act, when it received support yesterday.

The Motion moved by Mr Aden, Chair of the General Purpose Committee and seconded by Dr Abdullah Makame, was moved under Article 49(1), 59(1) and Rule 26 of the Rules of Procedure of the House.

At the moment, under the existing Act, the entry of cargo is required to be made within twenty-one days from the date of discharge of the vessel failing which the goods contained in the cargo begin to attract a charge or demurrage. However, Hon Aden avers that extending the time for removal of large consignments from the port of entry would eliminate demurrage charges and hence goods more affordable and allow for longer storage period to facilitate clearance.

In the EAC, all cargo coming in to the region enters through the designated ports but mainly through the ports of Dar es Salaam in the United Republic of Tanzania and Mombasa in the Republic of Kenya.

“I am concerned that the limited time provided for entering and clearing bulk consignments is increasing the cost of doing business for East Africans engaged in the business of importing goods who are passing on the cost of the consumer of the imported goods,”Aden said. Under Article 59(1) of the Treaty, any Member may propose any motion or introduce any Bill in the Assembly.

The Rules of Procedure of the Assembly also requires that a Private Members Bill shall be introduced first by way of Motion to which the proposed draft of the Bill shall be attached.

Stories Continues after ad

World production in coffee year 2018/19 is estimated to be 3.7 per cent higher at 168.87 million bags, which includes part of the new crop for producing countries with crop years commencing in April and July.

According to International Coffee Organisation (ICO), report for September 2019, production of both Arabica and Robusta increased in 2018/19, though the majority of the increase came from Robusta, which grew 6.7 to 66.04 million bags compared to coffee year 2017/18. Arabica production increased by 1.8 per cent to 102.68 million bags.

Output rose in all regions except for Mexico and Central America, where the harvest declined by 0.8 per cent to 21.47 million bags. Nearly half of the world’s coffee was produced in South America, where production is estimated 4.8 per cent higher at 80.95 million bags in coffee year 2018/19. Production grew by 4.6 per cent in Asia & Oceania to 48.46 million bags, while output in Africa rose by 1.9 per cent to 17.99 million bags.

The larger supply in coffee year 2018/19 is reflected in increased shipments. In the first eleven months of coffee year 2018/19, world coffee exports were 9.2 per cent higher than in the same period for coffee year 2017/18, amounting to 120.28 million bags.

Tanzania and Kenya also shipped more coffee during this period, with their exports rising by 47.4 per cent to 1.04 million bags and by 11 per cent to 743,203 bags, respectively. An increase of 31.1 per cent to 38.72 million bags from Brazil led the growth in shipments of Brazilian Naturals. However, shipments from Ethiopia, the second largest exporter of Brazilian Naturals, decreased by 4.8 per cent to 3.23 million bags.

Robusta shipments increased by 5.6 per cent to 42.84 million bags in the first eleven months of coffee year 2018/19.

Uganda’s exports remained stable, increasing by 0.6 per cent to 4.09 million bags in October 2018 to August 2019. Côte d’Ivoire’s shipments grew by 49.1 per cent to 1.62 million bags, which more than offsets the 8.4 per cent decrease in exports from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, amounting to 323,291 bags.

While shipments to date for the coffee year are higher, exports in August 2019 decreased by 4 per cent to 10.45 million bags compared to August 2018. Arabica shipments decreased by 2.3 per cent to 6.54 million bags, and Robusta by 6.6 per cent to 3.9 million bags. The decrease in Arabica shipments was led by Other Milds, which fell by 15.3 per cent to 1.99 million bags in August 2019, while exports of Brazilian Naturals remained stable at 3.27 million bags. Exports of Colombian Milds, however, rose by 18.3 per cent  to 1.29 million bags.

Global coffee consumption is estimated to have risen by 2.1 per cent in coffee year 2018/19 at 164.82 million bags. Consumption in importing countries grew by 2.4 per cent to 114.51 million bags while exporting countries’ consumption rose by 1.3 per cent to 50.31 million bags, which represents 30.5 per cent of world consumption.

Coffee production in 2018/19 exceeded global consumption by 4.05 million bags, which marks the second year of surplus. The total cumulative surplus is 5.48 million bags. This surplus has contributed to the low prices this coffee year, with the composite indicator averaging 100.47 US cents/lb for October 2018 to September 2019

Additionally, exports in coffee year 2018/19 set a new record and put further pressure on prices. The total volume shipped in the first eleven months of coffee year 2018/19, 120.28 million bags, has already surpassed the total volume shipped in coffee year 2017/18.

Stories Continues after ad