 UCDA: Low consumption affecting Uganda coffee prices, incomes For a long time Ugandans have been steered to believe that the coffee they grow is simply a cash crop. And with 80 per cent of the population involved in agriculture, coffee growing has been a mainstay and cash crop for most households in the country.As a result, coffee has remained the single leading export commodity which has earned the country second position as Africa’s leading exporter after Ethiopia.Ethiopia, which is thought to be the birth place for coffee in Africa, is not only leading in production but also one of the largest consumers on the continent where coffee follows visitors at every mile of the trip.Ideally, one would think the story is the same for Uganda which is ranked as the second largest coffee producer in Africa and tenth globally. Read more ▪ UCDA kicks off campaign to boost coffee consumption A campaign to motivate Ugandans to consume coffee has been started.According to the architects of this move including Inspire Africa, Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) and Usaid Feed the Future, think that in the next five years, local consumption will have improved to 20 per cent up from 3 per cent.The campaign starts with a coffee expo, barista competition and coffee cocktail in Kampala.Mr Nelson Tugume, the chief executive officer Inspire Africa, during the launch of the campaign in Kampala on Tuesday, said: “Coffee being the second most traded commodity in the world market after oil, an increase in local consumption to only 20 per cent will drastically bump up the economy.” Read more ▪ NUCAFE executive director Joseph Nkandu: Coffee exports drop Uganda's leading export commodity coffee records indicate a decline in both volumes and value. statistics from the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) indicate that, which is the ninth month on the coffee calendar, there was a 7 per cent and 4 per cent decline in volume and value, respectively.Industry experts blame the poor performance on the dry spell in the country.The executive director National Union of Coffee Agribusiness and Farm Enterprises, Mr Joseph Nkandu, said: "Climate change is having a toll on output from the field especially in areas south of the Equator. Farmers did not deliver much and this affected the value too." Read more ▪ UCDA: Uganda ranked leading coffee exporter in Africa After struggling, Uganda’s leading export commodity coffee, posted gains both in volume and value at the international market, a new report indicates.If this performance continues, Uganda stands a chance to be among the world’s top five producers.The new development has made the country move three steps from position number 10 after Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Honduras, Indonesia and India.Statistics from the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) indicate that, there was a 16 per cent and 18 per cent increase in volume and value respectively. Uganda exported 403,381 60-kg bags up from 335,405 60kg bags exported. Read more▪ UCDA: Coffee exports decline in volume, value Kampala. Coffee, Uganda’s leading export commodity, has exhibited a decline in both volume and value.Experts in the industry say this is not a good sign for the country’s general exports performance and it shrink farmers’ purchasing power.The report from Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) shows that, 3.48 million bags worth Shs1.1 trillion ($405 million) were exported.This performance exhibited a decline from the 3.65 million bags worth $430 million (Shs1 trillion) earned the same period the report noted. There was a 4.8 per cent and 6.1 per cent decline in both volume and value, respectively. Read more ▪ UCDA: Uganda’s December coffee exports fall by 17% Uganda's coffee exports fell by 17% to 219,948 60kg bags, a source at the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) has said. The source said UCDA forecast that exports will also fall to 240,000 bags from 257,976 bags shipped, with the drop attributed to a gradual peaking of the coffee harvest in central and eastern Uganda. The source said Uganda earned $29.5m from coffee exports, up from $26.7m earned. However, the Ministry of Agriculture has said the demand for coffee is expected to reach 165 million bags with a 15% increase in the green bean production. According to the agriculture minister, Tress Bucyanayandi, the Government distributed over 58 million coffee seedlings to farmers to boost production.Read more ▪  With only one month left to the close of the coffee calendar, latest statistics show a slight increase in Uganda’s volume and value respectively.A new report released by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) shows on a year to year basis, there was a marginal increase of 1.44 percent and 0.76 percent in volume and value respectively.“Coffee exports for the period totalled 3.52 million bags worth $394 million (about Shs1 trillion). This indicated a slight increase from 3.47 million bags worth $391 million (Shs977.5 billion) earned the same period last year,” UCDA report noted.Because of this performance, experts in the industry have reservation as to whether the country will meet the target set last year or surpass it with only one month of the coffee year remaining. Read more ▪ UCDA: : Bunyoro advised to grow more coffee Bunyoro Kitara Diocese Bishop, Nathan Kyamanywa has urged people in the sub-region to grow more coffee if they are to improve their household incomes and live better lives. Kyamanywa, made the remarks at the Diocese offices in Duhaga, Hoima district while presiding over the distribution of coffee seedlings.The 30,000 coffee seedlings of Arabica coffee to benefit over 100 people from four archdeaconries in Hoima district were donated by State house through Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) following a request by the diocese.St. Peter’s Cathedral church got 3,740 seedlings for 34 individuals, Bishop’s office 1,910 for 10 people, Butema parish 6,490 to benefit 59 people while, Karongo parish received 1,100 for 10 people.He said government’s commitment to give free coffee seedlings to the community as one way of increasing coffee production in the country to eradicate household poverty is an opportunity that people should utilize to plant more. Read more ▪ Uganda posts improved half year coffee export earnings Uganda has registered an increase in both volume and value of coffee exports indicating a good trend for the country’s leading export commodity.The latest report from the Uganda Coffee Development Authority for the month of March shows that, coffee exports for the period (April 2013 to March 2014) totalled 3.77 million bags up from the 3.02 million bags exported in the same period last year.The report adds: “In the same period, the country earned $415 million (Shs1.045 trillion) compared to $396 million (Shs997 billion) earned the same period last year (April 2012 -March 2013)”. This, according to the report shows that there was a 24.83 per cent and 4.80 per cent increase in volume and value respectively.Coffee exports in March 2014 amounted to 348,423-kilo bags worth $38.87 million (Shs97 billion). This comprised of 268,204 bags of Robusta coffee fetching $27.65 million (Shs69 billion) and 80,219 bags of Arabica coffee bringing in$11.22 million (Shs28.2 billion). Read more ▪ Uganda’s coffee exports to the global market have increased in both volume and value, a stance if maintained, is destined to improve farmers’ yields.Latest information from Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) in the last 12-months (February 2014 -March 2013) - a total of 3.73 million bags were exported up from the 2.91 bags exported the same period previously (March 2012-February 2013).The UCDA report further indicates that in this same period, coffee exported earned the country a total of Shs1 trillion ($414 million) up from Shs977.7 billion ($388 million) the country earned the previous year.“This performance indicated a 28.27 per cent and 6.68 per cent increase in volume and value respectively,” UCD report mentioned.Read more ▪ UCDA: Uganda coffee exports up 7 pct yr/yr in December Uganda's coffee exports rose 7 percent in December from the same period in 2012 as farmers sold more of the commodity to raise money for the holiday season, a source at the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) said on Wednesday.The east African country exported 257,976 60-kg bags of coffee during the month from 240,403 bags in December 2012."I think farmers were forced to sell larger volumes of stock because they needed money for Christmas and the holidays but also there was ample sunshine which was crucial in quick drying of the beans," the source at the industry regulator UCDA told Reuters. Read more ▪  UCDA: Uganda coffee exports jump 13 percent in November Uganda's coffee exports rose 13 percent in November from the same period in 2012, helped by increased yields in some growing areas, a source at industry regulator Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) said.Uganda is one of Africa's biggest coffee exporters and the crop is one of the government's main sources of foreign currency. Read more ▪ Northern Uganda to grow coffee A campaign to increase coffee production in Lango and Acholi sub-regions has kicked off with Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) pledging to raise 100 million coffee seedlings to distribute to farmers in the region. UCDA officials said the campaign is to increase export from the current two million bags to 4.5 million in the near future. Read more. ▪  Value addition can earn Uganda eight times more Henry Ngabirano, Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) chief confirmed that Uganda has been the number one coffee exporter in Africa for over a decade even though Ethiopia produced more coffee in 2012. Uganda exported 1.6 million bags of coffee, with Ethiopia’s 1.4 million bags right behind it. This means Africa is supplying 9% of the world’s demand but unfortunately, most of it is raw unprocessed beans, which fetch the country almost just a quarter of actual value. Stakeholders should now be debating whether we should move towards exporting processed coffee as opposed to raw beans. Read more ▪ |
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